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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23462071">Far From Lonely</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/frissoningg/pseuds/frissoningg'>frissoningg</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Venom (Comics), Venom (Movie 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alien Sex, Canon-Typical Violence, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Masturbation, Mentions of Heterosexual sex, Mistaken Identity, Movie-verse with comic elements, Multi, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sex Dreams, Sex Talk, Slow Build, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 15:48:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>27,909</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23462071</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/frissoningg/pseuds/frissoningg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Eddie felt like he was finally getting back on his feet. New job, new apartment, new best friend; the alien symbiote he now played host to. That part was sort of complicated and he was just beginning to understand what he'd signed up for.</p><p>Though it wasn't exactly as if all the details had been explicitly spelled out for him before he'd  bonded with Venom.</p><p>'Dear potential host, the following document contains important information on the care and comfort of your new symbiote.'</p><p>No, symbiotes didn't come with an instruction manual. There was no plan, no detailed guide. They were both just figuring out this human host and alien symbiote thing as they went along. </p><p>Teaching the symbiote right from wrong, learning how to deal with it's weird obsession with their new neighbour, Flash Thompson, and hopefully not becoming San Francisco's current local cryptid were all things Eddie could handle, right?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Eddie Brock/Flash Thompson, Eddie Brock/Flash Thompson/Venom Symbiote, Eddie Brock/Venom Symbiote, Flash Thompson/Venom Symbiote</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>85</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter One</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This is my first ever fic! Honestly it's extremely self indulgent. I was daydreaming about the Venom symbiote pining for Flash Thompson, with Eddie Brock being an oblivious dumbass, and it turned into... This. </p><p>Isn't there a saying about making the content you want to see in the world?</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>'Welcome home!' </p><p>Eddie placed his duffel bag and laptop case down by the front door, then made his way into his brand new apartment. </p><p><em> Their </em> brand new apartment. </p><p>A corner apartment on the second floor of a rental building in an actually decent neighborhood, it was practically a palace compared to the place he’d been staying in for the past week.</p><p>After a few days hospital stay following the whole Life Foundation fiasco he’d returned to his old apartment to find the place had been completely cordoned off. That was no surprise really, considering Drakes thugs, their gunfire, and a symbiote fight had thoroughly wrecked the place. The two agents there had let Eddie collect some of his stuff, his clothes and his laptop, but had informed him everything else (what hadn’t been destroyed, at least) would be packed up and relocated to him ‘as soon as convenient’. Whatever that meant.</p><p>While it was nice he didn’t have to deal with the hassle of packing up the apartment himself, it was kinda inconvenient moving into a new house with next to nothing.</p><p>It seemed whoever had taken over the foundation in Drake’s place wanted the whole debacle covered up, smoothed away as easily as possible. Eddie didn’t envy the poor fool who had to clean up <em> that </em> mess. </p><p>He’d been reading with amusement the stories printed about what the media was calling ‘The Life Foundation Incident’, and what he was privately thinking of as ‘The Craziest Three Days of My Life.’</p><p><b> <em>Our Life.</em> </b> </p><p>Right. <em> Their </em> life. He supposed the events had to be pretty fucking wild by anyone standards, alien or human.</p><p>The Foundation had offered him money, a thinly veiled bribe to keep his mouth shut, and if he’d been a different man he might have taken it. He’d told Anne he was thinking of suing, which he’d only been half-heartedly considering.</p><p>The one thing he’d let them fund though was a new motorbike. No way could he afford to replace that, and no way he was living without it.</p><p>So Eddie had let them cover it up. Drake was dead now, after all. Whoever was running the show now couldn’t be as rotten as that asshole had been.</p><p>Plus he didn’t exactly want the public finding out about Venom. A nice, clean cover up really worked in everyone’s favour.</p><p>Since then he’d been staying in an absolutely appalling hotel. The AC was stuck on heat, and there was an ominous looking crack splintering the glass in the one, small grimy window. He kept finding roaches everywhere and there was the faintest off sewerage smell that he couldn’t figure out <em> where </em>it was coming from.</p><p>He’d been on the hunt for a new place as well as a new job. When the network had called, offering him his old position back, he’d been eager to say yes, though ended up negotiating a role change. Now seemed like a good time to focus on the written word again, rather than reporting in front of the camera. Keeping a low profile, what with the whole being a host to an alien symbiote thing would probably be for the best.</p><p>Eddie had been under the assumption that he’d lost Venom completely when Drakes rocket had exploded. It had been a week and a half, and he was laying in bed one morning feeling despondent and lethargic, when he’d noticed just how hungry he was. An unusually strong hunger, a ravenous ache in the pit of his stomach. </p><p>The sort of ravenousness that could only mean one thing. </p><p>He’d gone out, ordering the biggest breakfast he could get his hands on, and when a little voice spoke up, the soft rumble of his own name, Eddie had been relieved. He hadn’t realised he was missing the symbiote until he got it back.</p><p>Now here they stood, and Eddie honestly couldn’t believe his luck. He wasn’t about to question it though. He’d take it as the universe, or fate, or whatever, granting him a break. He figured they must have earnt some good karma, saving the damn world and all that. </p><p>‘Well, here we are. What do you think?’ Eddie spoke out loud, making his way down the short corridor and into the kitchen. His footsteps echoed in the empty space.</p><p><b> <em>It is empty,</em> </b> his symbiote, Venom, very helpfully noted in his mind. At least Eddie <em> thought </em> it was in his mind. Sometimes he had trouble distinguishing where the voice of this other, alien half was coming from.</p><p>Eddie laughed in response, ‘For now, til those Life Foundation folks send us all my old stuff.’</p><p>The apartment had come with white goods, thankfully, but little else apart from that. Counters and cupboards ran along the left wall, with an island bench in the center of the space. Sleek black countertops over a <em> lot </em> of white.</p><p>‘We can put the dining table over here,’ he said, gesturing to the windows along the far wall, ‘And we’ll need stools here,’ he ran his hand over the bench. </p><p>'Couch and entertainment centre over there,' he pointed across the room. The space was completely empty, clearly designed to be a living area. </p><p>The apartment had large curved windows, two along each wall. The one near the kitchen opened up to the fire escape and looked out to the identical apartment building across the alley. The other windows looked out over a fairly decent sized park. Greenery and the tops of trees filled the view, and peering down outside he could see one of their new neighbours, Mrs Gilmour, (an older lady who had been very pleasant to Eddie right up until her dog started barking at him. Then her tone had changed dramatically) walking her dog.</p><p>'We should probably get curtains. Maybe install some blinds?'</p><p>He walked across the room, sliding open the double doors to the bedroom, another empty spacious room with a built-in wardrobe.</p><p><b> <em>Furniture placement. Like making a nest,</em> </b> the symbiote commented.</p><p>Eddie chuckled, 'Yeah, I guess human houses kind of are our nests.' Did symbiotes make nests?</p><p>
  <b> <em>We do not. Though my kind have bonded with other species that do.</em> </b>
</p><p>Eddie simply hummed, acknowledging the symbiote. He wasn’t sure he liked it when it did that, pulled questions from his mind he hadn’t actually asked. He hadn’t even been talking to the symbiote, just thinking to himself.</p><p><b> <em>We need sufficient comfortable spaces, for rest,</em> </b> Venom continued.</p><p>'Right, of course. Hopefully the bed comes quickly. If not we can always buy a new one. We should probably get new sheets and bed covers anyway. Oh, and towels!' Eddie pulled out his phone, opening up the note book to start a list.</p><p><b> <em>We should acquire a significant stockpile of food</em> </b> , the symbiote continued. <b> <em>Brains, liver, hearts. And chocolate.</em> </b></p><p>He chuckled. The symbiote had its priorities straight, it seemed. Even if that was a bit of an unconventional shopping list.</p><p>'We should go grocery shopping, yeah.' </p><p><b> <em>Eddie, write down brains, </em> </b>the symbiote urged as Eddie tapped away at his phone.</p><p>'I am not buying brains, Vee.'</p><p>
  <b> <em>What about hearts?</em> </b>
</p><p>'No way, I wouldn't even know where to get hearts!' </p><p>He’d seen chicken liver at the grocery store before, but wasn’t sure about hearts. He supposed there must be somewhere he could get that kind of thing though. His stomach churned at the thought. </p><p>
  <b> <em>What about liver? Lungs? Intestines?</em> </b>
</p><p>'Stop listing body parts. Please.’</p><p>
  <b> <em>But we like them!</em> </b>
</p><p>'I know I know, but you’re making me queasy,’ he was still processing the symbiote’s need for flesh and it's desire for fresh meat. For, well, <em> brains. </em></p><p>
  <b> <em>We have eaten brains before, Eddie. It did not bother you then.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘No, <em> you’ve </em> eaten brains before, I was just dragged along on the experience,’ Eddie said, shuddering at the memory of biting a mans head clean off, ‘And I’ll have you know it bothered me very much, we just had a lot of other things going on.’ </p><p>On one of the first nights after the symbiote had returned to him, he’d asked it about the ever present, relentless hunger it had, and why it desired to eat practically every living creature it saw.</p><p><b> <em>There are certain nutrients that we require,</em> </b> the symbiote had explained, <b> <em>Many of the chemicals your body creates we can replicate, but this we cannot. It is in your brain.</em> </b></p><p>'Right. And in other human brains, I assume?'</p><p>
  <b> <em>Yes, from what we have tasted it is the brains of most mammals.</em> </b>
</p><p>Which posed the regrettable issue of needing to acquire brains. Eating bad guys, people who deserved it, when the symbiote took over was one thing, but finding ways to incorporate brains into his own, every day diet? He wasn't so sure about that.</p><p>Fortunately they'd also discovered whatever it was Venom needed was also in chocolate. There was only so much chocolate a man could consume in one day though.</p><p>‘When you’re y’know, you, all big and scary, and you eat whatever it is you eat, that is entirely different to me going out and buying brains and hearts and keeping them in the freezer!’ </p><p><b> <em>When </em> </b> <b>we </b> <b> <em>are big and scary, </em> </b>the symbiote stressed the plural pronoun. </p><p>‘Fine, ‘we’’, Eddie said, making air quotations with his hands, ‘But ‘we’ are not eating anything alive and fleshy when <em> I </em> am the one in control.’</p><p><b> <em>Hmph. We prefer it fresh, anyway,</em> </b> the symbiote conceded.</p><p>‘There we go then. We both win,’ Eddie said, looking back down at his phone, ‘We can get chocolate though,’ he typed out the word in capitals on his list. The symbiote made a pleased little chirp.</p><p>Eddie paused for a moment, distractedly staring out the window, at the patches of fluffy clouds sitting high in the blue blue sky. Having his own place again was giving him a surprising sense of relief. It filled his chest, making him feel lighter then he had been in a long while. Hopefully now things would be settling down for him. For <em> them </em>. </p><p>
  <b> <em>We should eat that small mammal.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘What?’ Eddie blinked, bemused, his thoughts clearly on a different path than the symbiotes.</p><p><b> <em>That,</em> </b> Venom focused Eddie’s attention down to the edge of the park, where Mrs Gilmour was coming back towards the building. The small mammal in question was clearly her dog. A Yorkshire Terrier, it had barked and barked and barked at them earlier when they’d introduced themselves to the old lady out in the hall. Eddie was sure it had sensed the symbiote.</p><p>'Again, we are not eating anyone's dog,’ Eddie said, half amused, half exasperated. The symbiote was incredibly smart, he knew this, but sometimes when it got an idea in it’s head it could also be incredibly stubborn.</p><p>
  <b> <em>It’s bark was irritating. It clearly hated us.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘It probably did, but we can’t eat something just cause it hates us.’ </p><p>They watched as the dog began barking at a flock of pigeons, startling them out of their perch and off into flight. It pulled at it’s lead, yanking it’s owner forward, the poor woman barely staying upright.  </p><p>‘Dogs are pets,’ Eddie continued, ‘They're part of people's families.' </p><p>
  <b> <em>Dogs are good people?</em> </b>
</p><p>'Yes, dogs are good people. Very good people. Better than most people, actually,' the little Terrier was now barking at another dog, a much larger Rhodesian Ridgeback, as it passed them on the footpath. The canine was clearly a handful.</p><p>‘Most dogs,’ he added.</p><p><b> <em>Hm. Okay</em> </b> <b>.</b> </p><p>The topic settled (for now at least) Eddie went back to his list of new apartment necessities. They already had a fridge, a dishwasher, a microwave. They could wait for most of his old stuff, but a bed-</p><p>Crap. He hadn’t thought about where they were gonna sleep tonight. On the floor wouldn’t exactly be comfortable but-</p><p>
  <b> <em>We are not sleeping on the floor!</em> </b>
</p><p>‘What? We uh- we could- Would you stop <em> doing </em>that?’ Eddie stuttered out, Venom’s sudden comment startling him. This reading his every thought thing the symbiote did had gotten real old, real fast.</p><p>He absolutely needed to set out some boundaries.  </p><p>
  <b> <em>What sort of boundaries?</em> </b>
</p><p>‘Boundaries like you not doing <em> that </em>, for one.’ </p><p>
  <b> <em>Doing what?</em> </b>
</p><p>‘Responding to all my thoughts! It’s super disconcerting.’</p><p>
  <b> <em>But we are in your head, Eddie. We know what you are thinking.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘I know, you make that very clear, constantly, and I just-’</p><p>His phone started buzzing in his hand, the ringtone reverberating around the apartment. Anne’s name lit up the lock screen.</p><p>‘Hold that thought,’ he said, eagerly answering the phone.</p><p>‘Hey Anne,’ Eddie greeted her, smiling into the phone.</p><p>
  <em> ‘Hi Eddie, how are you?’ </em>
</p><p>‘I’m good? Yeah, yeah, I’m good. What’s up?’</p><p>
  <em> ‘Not much, just thought I’d check in. How’s work?’ </em>
</p><p>‘Work’s great!’ </p><p>He’d started back with the network ealier that week. While being behind a desk was as little different than what he’d been used to with the Brock Report, having a stable job again was very, very welcome.  </p><p>‘This week’s been, actually pretty chill. It’s good to be back though.’</p><p><em> ‘Mm,’ </em> she hummed over the line. <em> ‘That’s great Eddie.’  </em></p><p>Something in her tone was a little odd. This wasn’t the first time she’d checked up on him since the Life Foundation Incident, which Eddie was grateful for. It was nice to have her back in his life, forming a tentative sort of friendship. Right now though she was sounding far too casual.</p><p>
  <b> <em>She wants something.</em> </b>
</p><p>It seemed the symbiote had picked up on that too. </p><p>
  <em> ‘So how’s the new apartment? You got the keys today, right?’ </em>
</p><p>‘Oh, right!’ Eddie had forgotten he’d told her about moving somewhere new, ‘Yeah got the key this morning. It’s pretty great, actually. Met one of the neighbours. She's… interesting. I think her dog hates me.’</p><p>
  <em> 'And how's the new roommate?' </em>
</p><p>'Roommate?' Eddie frowned. He didn't have a roommate. Unless…</p><p>She didn’t mean <em> Venom </em>, did she?</p><p><b> <em>She means us.</em> </b> </p><p>No way. She thought Venom was dead. <em> He’d </em>thought Venom was dead, up until a few days ago. She couldn’t possibly know.</p><p><em> ‘Eddie,’ </em> Anne said, <em> ‘I know there’s something you’re not telling me.’ </em></p><p>He could just picture her raising one skeptical eyebrow at him.</p><p>
  <b> <em>She knows you are lying.</em> </b>
</p><p>He jerked the phone away from his face, covering the microphone with his other hand.</p><p>‘Stop that!’ he whispered at the symbiote. Then, moving the phone back up to his ear, said to Anne, ‘What am I not telling you? Sorry, Anne, you’ve lost me.’</p><p><em> 'How's Venom?’ </em>she said, as casually as if she was asking about the weather. </p><p>Eddie froze. </p><p>Shit. </p><p>What was he gonna say? Tell her the symbiote was back? It would be nice, having someone know about the alien. Having <em> Anne </em> in his corner, having her support. But...</p><p>She would be safer, if he kept up the lie. Safer if she didn’t know. The less people who knew he was carrying a dangerous alien entity around with him, that he was literally a <em> living weapon </em> now, the better.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Tell her.</em> </b>
</p><p>He decided to play dumb.</p><p>'Anne…’ he said slowly, ‘Venom's dead. He burnt up when the rocket exploded, remember?'</p><p>
  <em> 'Oh, don't bullshit me Eddie. We lived together for years, I know when you're lying.' </em>
</p><p>'I- I'm not!' Eddie spluttered. Damn Anne, she was far too smart. </p><p><b> <em>Smarter than you. We should tell her, </em> </b>the symbiote urged again. </p><p><em> 'Really?' </em> Anne said, voice dripping with scepticism, <em> 'You really don’t don’t have an alien parasite currently sharing your body?' </em></p><p><b>‘We are not a parasite!’</b> Venom protested, their eel like head extending out of Eddie's right shoulder to speak into the phone, <b>‘Hello Anne. We are here.’</b></p><p>Dammit. Damn his idiot symbiote.</p><p><em> 'I knew it!' </em> Anne crowed, delighted. Eddie could hear her laughter on the other side of the line, <em> 'How long has he been back? And why didn't you just </em> tell <em> me?' </em></p><p><b>'We never left,'</b> the symbiote responded to her questions, <b>'We are bonded to Eddie, we live in him. We simply needed time to recover.'</b></p><p>Eddie sighed, defeated. There was no keeping secrets from Anne. Honestly, there never had been.</p><p>'I just. I didn't want… I guess I didn't want to burden you.'</p><p>
  <b>'We want to protect you.'</b>
</p><p>We? The plural surprised him, he’d been under the impression it was just himself who cared for Anne's safety. It was nice to know the symbiote felt the same.</p><p><em> 'That's…' </em> Anne paused, thinking. <em> 'That's sweet, I suppose, but keeping Venom a secret isn't necessarily going to protect me. It'll just make your life more complicated.' </em></p><p>Eddie sighed. She was probably right. At least now that she knew he wouldn’t be alone in this.</p><p>
  <b> <em>You are never alone.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘How much more complicated can it get?’ </p><p><em> ‘Don’t say that, you’ll jinx yourself.’ </em> </p><p>‘Hey, I uh, don’t wanna tell more people about it though, okay?’ Eddie said, worried. Carlton Drake may be dead, the Life Foundation now a shadow of what it was, but it was still out there. And there were other organisations that would kill to get their hands on Venom. Kill <em> him </em>, specifically, ‘I don’t want it taken away. Or experimented on.’</p><p>
  <b>‘Again.’</b>
</p><p><em> ‘No, of course not. But sometimes it's okay to trust people. You can trust me, and you can trust Dan.' </em> </p><p>‘Wait, Dan knows?’ Eddie questioned, ‘I thought we weren’t gonna tell Dan.’</p><p>
  <em> ‘About the kiss, no. But I… may have expressed my suspicions about the return of your little friend.’ </em>
</p><p>‘’My little friend?’’ Eddie scoffed, ‘You make it sound weird.’</p><p><em> ‘Because there’s nothing weird about this at all,’ </em>Anne laughed.</p><p><b>'We will eat anyone who tries to experiment on us!'</b> Venom interjected fiercely. </p><p>It was Eddie’s turn to laugh. Okay, maybe it was a little weird.</p><p><em> ‘He likes to eat people, doesn’t he,’ </em> she observed, a hint of concern in her voice.</p><p>‘Yeah, it’s… It’s a thing. I’m working on it. Apparently it needs a diet of chocolate and brains.</p><p>
  <em> ‘What, like a zombie?’ </em>
</p><p>
  <b>‘That is ridiculous, your body needs far more nourishment than that would provide.’</b>
</p><p>‘Right. Well, we gotta go grocery shopping anyway, maybe we can find other foods you’ll like.’</p><p>Eddie had never really been a picky eater. He had a feeling the symbiote would be.</p><p>‘Thanks for checking in, Anne. And sorry for the secrecy.’</p><p>
  <em> ‘That’s alright, I can’t blame you. I suppose your heart was in the right place. This time.’ </em>
</p><p>
  <b> <em>Ooh, harsh.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘My heart’s always in the right place,’ he tried to joke. To his credit Anne did laugh.</p><p>
  <em> ‘Talk to you later, Eddie. Bye, Venom.’ </em>
</p><p><b> <em>We like her,</em> </b> the symbiote informed him, retracting it’s head, reabsorbing back under his skin.</p><p>‘Yeah we do, buddy,’ Eddie said softly. He still felt a little pang of sadness, dwelling too much on Anne. </p><p>
  <b> <em>We will get her back. </em> </b>
</p><p>‘No, Vee, we can’t. She’s with Dan now. And they’re-’ he swallowed, ‘They’re happy.’ </p><p>He let out a heavy sigh. Acknowledging that stung. Really stung. </p><p>Was he gonna feel like this after every time they talked? </p><p>
  <b> <em>We don’t have to feel like this. We know how she feels about-</em> </b>
</p><p>'Nope! No! No no no-' Eddie shook his head, clapping his hands over his ears as though he could block out the sound of Venom's voice, like the voice wasn't inside his own head, ‘La la la!’</p><p><b> <em>What? We saw, when we were with her, that she-</em> </b> </p><p>'Stop!' Eddie practically shouted. The symbiote shut up.</p><p>'Just stop, okay? I don't wanna know.'</p><p>
  <b> <em>Yes, you do. We can tell, Eddie. We feel your curiosity and your yearning. You still miss her.</em> </b>
</p><p>'Yeah, well, just cause I feel one thing doesn't mean I want it,' he shot back, crossing his arms, 'I don't wanna be that guy anymore.'</p><p>
  <b> <em>What guy?</em> </b>
</p><p>'The guy that sneaks around, trying to- to win his ex back. The guy I was six months ago, the egotistical self centered prick- the… the guy she broke up with.'</p><p>
  <b> <em>You cannot be someone you are not, Eddie.</em> </b>
</p><p>'Sure I can! People can change! What would I do instead? Keep hounding her, following her? Fuck with what she's got now and ruin her life again?' he shook his head vehemently, 'No way man.'</p><p>
  <b> <em>But we are unhappy.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘Yeah, well, that’s just life sometimes. You gotta suffer til you get to the good bit. Til things get better.’ </p><p>He looked around the apartment. Things were already better, and he was a different man than he’d been even a month ago. Venom was responsible for that. Yeah, his life had changed, a lot, but hopefully it wouldn’t be for the worse.</p><p>'What was it you suggested?' Eddie lowered his voice, imitating the symbiote’s deep rumble, ''Try harder not to be a dick.' Well that's what I'm gonna do.' </p><p><b> <em>Hmm, </em> </b> the symbiote hummed, <b> <em>We are pleased you decided to listen to us, for once.</em> </b></p><p>'Yeah well, not everything you say is <em> completely </em>insane,' Eddie remarked, looking at his phone and checking the time. They couldn’t put off food shopping, and they needed something to sleep on tonight. </p><p>He had the sudden mental image of an old air mattress he and Anne had owned. A vivid memory hit him behind his eyes, pain shooting through his brain, but seeing it felt as real as if he was actually looking at the thing right now.</p><p>‘Oh what the fuck!’ </p><p>
  <b> <em>Anne has a mattress we can use.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘What the hell did you just do?’</p><p>
  <b> <em>We helped you remember.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘Well, don’t,’ he rubbed at his eyes, ‘That fucking hurt man.’</p><p>
  <b> <em>Fascinating. We did not expect this form of memory recall to be painful.</em> </b>
</p><p>It happened again- he could see Anne, clear as day, sitting on the floor as the mattress inflated. It was like watching a home movie from his own perspective, but combined with an overwhelming pain, like a migraine turned instantly up to a hundred. Eddie grabbed his head, shouting.</p><p>‘Jesus Christ, stop!’ </p><p>The memory stopped, and for a moment the pain lingered, making him feel queasy. Then that was gone, too.</p><p>He felt weird. Disoriented. And he was kneeling on the floor now. When had that happened?</p><p>‘Explain to me what the <em> fuck </em> just happened!’ he snapped.</p><p>
  <b> <em>We accessed your memories, displaying them back for you. It seems the human brain was not designed to view memories this way. </em> </b>
</p><p>‘No fucking shit,’ Eddie growled. </p><p>The symbiote’s tone turned apologetic. </p><p>
  <b> <em>The pain was unintentional. We apologise. Next time-</em> </b>
</p><p>‘Next time? Nuh-uh, no fucking way, man! We are never doing that again!’ </p><p>
  <b> <em>We can disrupt your pain sensors, increase your tolerance. Or perhaps more recent memories would be easier to process.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘No! I don’t want you just pulling thoughts from my head, pulling up <em> memories </em> like I’m some kind of human youtube!’</p><p>He shuddered. If Venom could just pull random memories like that, the things it could see in his head. What had it already seen? Was there anything it didn’t know about him?</p><p>
  <b> <em>We have not seen everything.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘You gotta stop doing that!’ Eddie kind of wished he could see the symbiote right now, so he could have something to direct his anger at instead of just shouting at thin air in an empty apartment.</p><p>‘Stop commenting on my thoughts like I’m speaking to you! I don’t hear <em> your </em> thoughts constantly.’</p><p>
  <b> <em>You could. We can show you how.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘I don’t want you to show me how, I want you to stop,’ he was feeling frustrated now. How was he supposed to explain this to the symbiote?</p><p>'Alright man, we gotta have a conversation about consent.'</p><p><b> <em>Consent…</em> </b> the symbiote repeated, slowly.</p><p>'Yeah. It's like permission to do something. A lot of things are private for humans, and one of those things is thoughts.'</p><p>
  <b> <em>But they are our thoughts Eddie.</em> </b>
</p><p>'Look, let's take this slow. I gotta ask this simply. Do you think what I think, or do you have to go looking for my thoughts?'</p><p>
  <b> <em>We look.</em> </b>
</p><p>'Okay. Alright,' he hadn't completely lost his privacy then. That was good, he could work with that.</p><p><b> <em>Your mind is like this house. There are different rooms for different purposes, behind different doors. When we open the door we can see what you are thinking. We hear your questions and observe your ideas.</em> </b> </p><p>‘Right,’ he supposed that made sense, though he’d never had experience with his thoughts being read before. He’d just have to take the symbiotes word for it, ‘Well I want you to shut the door. You can have your room, and I can have my room.’</p><p>He suddenly felt extremely upset, disappointment and betrayal slamming into him. Feelings he hadn’t felt a second ago, ones that were entirely not his own.</p><p>Followed by a low discontented growl. </p><p>
  <b> <em>No.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘No?’ Eddie echoed, shocked and annoyed, ‘What do you mean ‘no’? We gotta make this work somehow. I’m all for you sticking around but we need boundaries too.’</p><p>And there was frustration now, annoyance mirroring Eddie’s own feelings about the conversation. He took a breath, letting out a sigh in a puff of air.</p><p>‘Do you understand why this is important to me?’</p><p>
  <b> <em>We understand. Thoughts are private, you value privacy.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘Yeah, I do.’</p><p>
  <b> <em>Does not mean we approve.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘Well, you don’t have to approve. You don’t even have to like it, cause this is just how it’s gonna be,’ he wasn’t backing down on this, no way. There were some things a man had to keep to himself. And he knew having the symbiote comment and nitpick his every little thought would drive him insane.</p><p>
  <b> <em>We know. You are strong-willed, we feel your... tenacity.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘<em> I’m </em> tenacious?’ Eddie scoffed, ‘Pot calling the kettle black there, buddy.’</p><p>The symbiote was silent for a moment, it’s emotions taking a dive to confused. </p><p>
  <b> <em>We do not understand this human phrase.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘It means don’t be a hypocrite. It’s a figure of speech,’ Eddie rubbed both hands over his face, dragging them down. He felt like they were talking in circles. </p><p>‘Look, I just don’t want you snooping around up there!’ he tapped the side of his head.</p><p>
  <b> <em>You snooped all the time. We have seen what you did to Anne.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘No-’ Eddie cut himself off, jaw clenching shut hard.</p><p>He took a deep breath.</p><p>‘We are not getting into that now,’ he continued, trying to stay calm. He thought he was doing a fairly decent job of it considering the roller-coaster of emotions the symbiote had subjected him to right now. </p><p>‘This is about you and me, and your living arrangements in my head. We’re roommates now, and we gotta have boundaries.’</p><p><b> <em>Fine, </em> </b> The symbiote said, petulantly, <b> <em>We will no longer ‘read your thoughts.’</em> </b> </p><p>‘Good.’ </p><p>He’d won. </p><p>But he didn’t feel like he’d won. The symbiote’s indignation at being shut out of Eddie’s mind was powerful, a keen emotion, burning hotly in the back of his chest.</p><p>‘How come I don’t hear your thoughts but I can feel what you’re feeling?’’</p><p>The symbiote was quiet for a long moment, and Eddie got the sense it was thinking, mulling something over. Or maybe it just didn’t want to answer him, after the argument they’d just had.</p><p>Eventually Venom spoke, <b><em>If thoughts are like objects in a room, feelings are like the air. They are always there, always all around. We cannot turn off emotions. It</em></b> <b><em>would be like severing our connection.</em></b></p><p>Eddie certainly didn't want that. While there were definitely some major differences in his life now and trials in learning to share his body, he couldn’t say he hated it. The things the alien could do, the power he felt when Venom took over was incredible.  </p><p>And never feeling completely alone, there was some comfort in that.</p><p>Severing their connection? He might as well just send the thing away, make it find another host.</p><p>He didn’t think he could do that now. </p><p>'Okay, feelings we can share. I can live with that. But you gotta ask before you go digging in my thoughts, okay? You can't just pull up memories, especially painful ones,’ he thought for a moment, then added, ‘Or intimate ones.' </p><p><b>We don’t dig,</b> Venom muttered. Eddie had the distinct feeling it was sulking.</p><p>'Shift, shuffle, riffle- whatever. If there's something you wanna know, something you wanna see, just ask me. Then we can have a conversation. There’ll be less confusion that way, and I’ll be much more comfortable with this,' Eddie waved his hand around, gesturing vaguely to indicate that by ‘this’ he meant ‘them’. </p><p><b> <em>Fine,</em> </b> Venom agreed, sullenly, <b> <em>We will ask.</em> </b></p><p>'Promise?' Eddie asked. He still wasn't sure he completely trusted the symbiote, though he supposed that was another thing he’d have to learn to do.</p><p>
  <b> <em>We promise...</em> </b>
</p><p>'Hmm…' Eddie was unconvinced.</p><p>
  <b> <em>Trust us.</em> </b>
</p><p>'Yeah yeah, I trust you.'</p><p>The symbiote audibly growled at that, a rumble that Eddie wasn't sure had come from within his chest or his own vocal chords.</p><p><b> <em>We know when you are lying, Eddie</em> </b>.</p><p>Right. Of course. Couldn't lie to something- <em> someone </em> that was literally in his own brain.</p><p>Eddie swallowed. This whole conversation just kept spiralling away from him. </p><p>'Look, I just-'</p><p><b> <em>‘You just’ lie!</em> </b> the symbiote boomed, <b> <em>We cannot look at your thoughts so you can lie to us?</em> </b></p><p>'Okay, okay, you’re right. That’s not fair of me at all,' Eddie held up his hands, placating, ‘No thought reading, no lying. We can do that.'</p><p><b> <em>Promise? </em> </b>the symbiote said, parroting Eddie's own words.</p><p>'Yes,' he said, crossing his heart. 'I promise.'</p><p>
  <b> <em>Good.</em> </b>
</p><p>Eddie got the slightest feeling of satisfaction from the alien, but it was fleeting. Annoyance and heavy sullenness prevailed. </p><p>The symbiote was definitely sulking. </p><p>Eddie decided not to push it. If life experience had taught him anything, it was best just to let someone sulk, to allow time to deal with their mood. </p><p>He grabbed his keys, made sure he had his wallet, before pulling up a browser to look up where the closest grocery store was.</p><p> </p><p>~</p><p> </p><p>An hour and a half later he was back, placing two heavy laden shopping bags on the counter. The grocery store hadn’t been that far away, but he’d spent a lengthy amount of time wandering aimlessly, trying to figure out what they actually needed.</p><p>He’d stood, shopping basket held in one hand, staring blankly at the fruit and vegetables. Rows of fat, ripe tomatoes sat in tubs next to heads of lettuce wrapped in plastic. </p><p>It felt like a lifetime ago that he’d properly gone grocery shopping. They’d been eating like a starving raccoon the last couple of days, just whatever junk food and fast food Eddie had felt like. And a few nights ago Venom had eaten an <em> actual </em> raccoon, which honestly wasn’t much better. </p><p>Actually, by anyone else’s standards it would probably be considered worse.</p><p>Even if the symbiote had enjoyed it.</p><p>But he couldn’t exactly buy raccoon meat at the old corner shop.</p><p>Maybe he could buy live mice from a pet store though. People did that for pet snakes, didn’t they?</p><p>So he’d stood, frowning perplexed at the tomatoes, internally debating the pros and cons of living off roadkill or rats. </p><p><b> <em>You are concerned,</em> </b> the symbiote had piped up. It was still sulking, though the feeling had settled down into a vague impression at the back of Eddie’s mind. Easy enough to ignore. </p><p>‘I… don’t know what we need. Do we need tomatoes?’ he picked one up, turning it over in his hands, ‘I guess tomatoes would be good with breakfast. Or… salad?’ he doubted the symbiote would have much of a desire for <em> salad. </em></p><p>It did desire chocolate though, he knew that much. And meat. </p><p>So they’d started at the deli section, where the range of meats behind the glass had lifted Venom’s mood considerably. It had a particular interest in the large rolls of italian salami, and the whole, raw salmon on display, as well as the smell of fresh rotisserie chicken.</p><p>It seemed the promise of food was an excellent mood changer, a sentiment with which Eddie couldn’t help but agree. The symbiote was a man after his own heart. Well, alien.</p><p>From there they’d made their way through the rest of the store, Eddie grabbing foods he could possibly cobble together into some sort of meal. It’d been a long time since he’d cooked a proper meal for himself, or anyone else for that matter.</p><p>He'd had a bit of fun with the symbiotes fascination regarding the variety of ways they could consume chocolate. Hot chocolate, chocolate cereal, chocolate pudding, twenty different flavours of chocolate bar. Even baking chocolate and pre-packaged baking mix for chocolate cake. Those Eddie had not gotten, he didn’t fancy doing any baking, even if the picture on the box did look delicious. He’d probably just end up burning the thing. He had gotten a little of everything else though, for the symbiote to try.</p><p>And if he was trying, just a little, to make up for sending the symbiote into a terrible mood earlier, well, no one else would know.</p><p>Now back home Eddie began unpacking their shopping, removing various meats, eggs, and milk, and finding a place for it all in the fridge. </p><p><b> <em>We should eat this,</em> </b> Venom said, poking the cereal box with a thin tendril as Eddie picked it up. </p><p>‘We can’t have cereal for dinner.’</p><p>
  <b> <em>Says who?</em> </b>
</p><p>‘Says me. I’m way too old for that.’</p><p>
  <b> <em>There is an age limit on cereal?</em> </b>
</p><p>‘No, but cereal is a breakfast food.’</p><p>
  <b> <em>Interesting.</em> </b>
</p><p>‘We can have this tonight,’ Eddie pulled the roast chicken from the bag, leaving it on the counter. They didn’t exactly have anything they could cook with at the moment. At least he’d thought to grab some paper plates. </p><p>Tomorrow would definitely need to be a shopping for household essentials day. </p><p>He placed the cereal in the cupboard, along with the coffee (a purchase the symbiote had been entirely unenthusiastic about), and a few other bits and pieces away. </p><p>Eddie yawned deeply. It was getting late. </p><p>They’d discovered that, thanks to Venom, he now needed far less sleep than he’d previously required. The first few nights since it’s return he’d been wide awake, the symbiote claiming it didn’t enjoy him sleeping, incredibly bored by Eddie lying down doing nothing for hours. </p><p>Instead it had kept him absolutely wired. </p><p>By the third day though Eddie had cracked. Whatever it did to his body to keep him awake was also driving the symbiotes hunger to the extreme, and Eddie himself kept nodding off, his head buzzing like he was drunk. He was surprised he hadn’t started hallucinating.</p><p>So they’d learnt their lesson with that one; while the symbiote <em> could </em>keep them awake it was better for both of them if Eddie got a decent nights sleep. </p><p>He went about setting up the air mattress and sleeping bag, borrowed generously from Anne. Eddie texted her while at the store, and she’d dropped it off to them just as they’d arrived home.</p><p>While the mattress inflated they sat on the window sill to the fire escape, Eddie picking bits of chicken off the bone to feed directly to the black gooey puddle of teeth in his lap. Usually he’d have his laptop open, a show streaming in the background, but the new apartment didn’t have an internet connection yet. </p><p>Instead they sat in comfortable silence and watched the world outside, though very little was happening. The only activity they saw at all was a cat dashing out from behind a skip and across the alley down below. </p><p>One whole chicken later, their hunger sated, at least for now, Eddie changed into his pajamas and they got into bed. </p><p>Even if his life wasn’t going back to ‘normal’, the sort of normal it had been, at least tonight, for the first time in months, Eddie was feeling optimistic about the direction he- <em> they </em> were going.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eddie meets their new neighbour, and Venom takes a night-time outing that doesn't exactly go as planned</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The next morning Eddie awoke, bright sunlight streaming in through the curtainless windows. He squinted, covering his eyes with his forearm, giving his bleary eyes a moment to adjust to the warm sunrise filling the room.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was then he noticed his butt and lower back were touching the cool wooden floors. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tried to sit up, but the air mattress bobbed awkwardly around him, and all he managed to do was roll completely off the thing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What the-’ he let out a yelp, banging his elbow, hard, as he hit the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, that was one way to wake up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He lay there for a moment, wincing as the pain in his funny bone subsided.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Our bed is defective. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, I gathered that,’ Eddie sat up, extracting his legs from the sleeping bag, ‘Maybe I put the plug in wrong? It’s not supposed to do that.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We need a real bed. You were quite uncomfortable.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Were you watching me sleep?’ Eddie turned the mattress pump back on, letting it inflate and testing the pressure. The mattress had been fine last time he and Anne used it, though that had been a few years ago.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Sometimes we watch you, yes.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Cool, cool. That’s not weird at all,’ the thing seemed to be working, and there were no leaks along any of the seams. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Your rhythmic breaths are comfortable. You are a sound sleeper.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Have you tried sleeping too?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>For what purpose? If you sleep we do not need to.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I don’t know, why not? Didn’t you tell me you get bored at night?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>That is correct.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Maybe you can sleep too. Shut off for a while, relax, dream.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Symbiotes do not dream. But we sense you dream.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Can you see my dreams?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We cannot.</em>
  </b>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Maybe if you learn to sleep you can dream as well.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>That is unlikely.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie stood up properly, stretching. His back was definitely a little stiff from sleeping on the actual floor for part of the night. A hot shower would help with that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We are hungry.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What else is new.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If having the symbiote watch him sleep was strange, it was equally as weird knowing it was watching him shower. Actually, becoming host to an alien came with a lot of bizarreness, really. This particular situation he’d had to get over pretty quickly, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>had </span>
  </em>
  <span>to shower. Though he wouldn’t say he was over it just… ignoring the freaky sensation of constantly being watched. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are distressed, </em>
  </b>
  <span>the symbiote picked up on his musing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No, not distressed. Uh, a little uncomfortable, maybe,’ he proceeded to get undressed. The apartment had a separate bathtub and shower unit, which was nice. He threw his dirty clothes in the tub for now, mentally adding a laundry basket to his list of items to get today.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It’s just the shower thing again,’ he stepped into the shower, turning on the hot water.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’d talked about this the first night Venom had returned, Eddie explaining that showering was usually done in private. It wasn’t that he was ashamed of his body, far from it really, but the concept of showering with someone else was a foreign one to him. Showering during or after sex with his girlfriend, sure, that was cool, but having the symbiote in the back of his head, watching his every move and asking questions- that he wasn’t so comfortable with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And while Venom hadn’t exactly understood (</span>
  <b>
    <em>We watch everything you do, Eddie</em>
  </b>
  <span>) it had sensed just how uncomfortable it made Eddie, and had agreed to shower time being Eddie-time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He grabbed the soap, lathering suds in his hands before rubbing it over his body, looking out the glass shower partition at the tub. Maybe a bath would be less weird? Well, he’d still be naked, but maybe taking the time to just relax in the hot water would be more comfortable. He’d had baths with Anne when they were together, though only a couple of times as she’d prefered unwinding on her own. And while those baths hadn’t been sexual they’d still been romantic, intimate and-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nope. He was not thinking about intimacy and the symbiote.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He rinsed off quickly before turning the water off and getting out. He stood awkwardly for a moment, dripping into the tiled bathroom floor, before realising what was missing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Dammit.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom made a curious chirp in his mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I don’t have a towel,’ Eddie noted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then symbiote was rising up, coating his skin in a thin black sheen. Instead of growing all over him, bulking him out like it usually did it stuck to him, like a full body wetsuit. He had the briefest sensation of pressure, almost suction, and then it was retreating, leaving his skin completely dry.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Whoa,’ Eddie gasped, impressed, ‘Cool trick.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Thank you,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote hummed in his mind, pleased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He padded back to the bedroom, rummaging through his duffle bag for clean clothes. He hoped it was still too early for any of the neighbours to be up, or they’d get an eye-full. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘We gotta get curtains and we gotta get a laundry basket today,’ he said out loud, pulling on underwear, then his pants, ‘Don’t let me forget.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes. Food first.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Of course,’ he walked into the kitchen, pulling his shirt on over his head as he went, ‘You wanna try cereal?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Chocolate…</em>
  </b>
  <span>, the symbiote rumbled, reaching a few tendrils out to grab the cereal box from the cupboard before Eddie got to it. He didn’t see it do that often. It must be excited.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote deposited the box in his hands, and Eddie made to pour out a bowl for them. He paused, looking around stupidly for a moment, realising again they had next to nothing in this new apartment. Couldn’t exactly make cereal without even a damn bowl.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>What are we waiting for?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Sorry, buddy, breakfast is gonna have to wait. We need a bowl. And a spoon.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>What!</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote shrieked, </span>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie, you are starving us!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I’m not starving us, don’t be dramatic,’ he pulled out his phone, checking the time. Nearly eight-thirty. By the time they got breakfast it would be closer to nine and they could make it to a department store.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘We’ll just have to go out for breakfast, get a coffee, maybe bacon and eggs?’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Coffee,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote protested. Eddie could just picture it’s face glowering at him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yes, coffee. I’ve given up beer for you, I’m not giving up coffee as well.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>But we hate the bitterness.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘And I hate brains, but you need it, so we eat it.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>That is different. Your body doesn’t </em>
  </b>
  <b>need</b>
  <b>
    <em> coffee.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I disagree, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> need coffee.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are wrong.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie laughed, ‘We’ll just have to agree to disagree on this one, bud.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>But you are wrong.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It’s called a compromise.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote just made a disgusted noise as Eddie grabbed his wallet and keys.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You’ll learn to love it.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We won’t, </em>
  </b>
  <span>Venom grumbled stubbornly, to which Eddie laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Maybe I’ll have to start drinking mocha’s.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>What is that?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It’s like a latte, but they add chocolate to the coffee.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Hmm… That doesn’t sound terrible…</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heading out into the hall, Eddie pulled the door shut behind him, then made his way down the stairs. He pulled out his phone again, checking the shopping list he’d started yesterday, adding a few more items. Crockery, cutler, a frying pan, a kettle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Something smells good,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote noted. They paused on the first floor landing. The sweet scent of fresh baking was wafting down the hall, though Eddie couldn’t quite tell what it was. Bread? Cake? Who the hell baked this early on a Saturday morning?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie…</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote groaned, hunger pains gnawing at his stomach now. He wouldn’t have been surprised if that was the symbiote itself eating his insides.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I know I know, we’re hungry,’ he picked up the pace, going down the rest of the stairs and out onto the street.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Let’s find something to eat.’</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>A few hours and a not inconsiderable amount of spending later, and they were back home, hands full of multiple shopping bags. They’d taken a taxi instead of the bike into the city, and had to do two trips upstairs just to get it all inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Having the symbiote along while shopping today had been an entirely different experience than grocery shopping. Perhaps that was due to it being in a more sullen mood last night. Today, however, it was in very good spirits. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’d had a huge breakfast at the first open cafe they’d come across. While the sign outside had advertised the place as being healthy the absolute mountain of bacon, eggs, hash browns, and toast Eddie had consumed was anything but. What should have, at the very least, made a normal man quite sick turned out to be just enough to actually sate Venom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The result was a chipper and cheerful symbiote, jabbering away delightedly, full of questions. Eddie had had a hard time answering them without looking like an absolute madman. While they’d missed most of the shoppers by going out early, by the time they were done the mall was definitely getting crowded. It was a Saturday, after all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While the symbiote might talk his metaphorical ear off, it was perfectly happy to keep itself contained under Eddie’s skin whenever they went out. Venom seemed to understand the importance of not being seen while Eddie was out in public. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Eddie had asked about this the symbiote had confirmed it’s experiences with the Life Foundation made it wary of being too exposed, at least in the day time. It had no desire to be poked and prodded and experimented on by scientists again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We understand your desire for secrecy. We do not wish to be separated, </em>
  </b>
  <span>the symbiote had said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No, we don’t.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Plus we like your insides. They are warm.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was just past midday now and they were, unsurprisingly, hungry again. Eddie wondered if he’d ever get used to the feeling of being </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> hungry, </span>
  <em>
    <span>all the time.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He dumped the last item on the living room floor- a bright green bean bag the symbiote had absolutely insisted they buy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>(</span>
  <b>
    <em>It’s like a nest!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What is with you and nests?)</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At least they had one comfortable place to sit in the apartment, for now, til all his old furniture arrived. Hopefully that would be sometime in the next week.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a knock at the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie turned his head sharply, surprised. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Who-’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>There is a man.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A man? Who could be visiting him? He had the briefest moment of panic, remembering the last time he’d had an unexpected knock at the door, before quashing that reaction down. There was no reason to jump to conclusions. And Venom had proved very well last time that they could easily take down anyone threatening them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opened the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was indeed a man there, smiley politely at Eddie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The man would have been about Eddie's height, had he been standing up. As it was he was actually seated in a wheelchair. His legs ended just above the knee. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was the first thing Eddie noticed. The second was the man’s brilliant blue eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Who is this man? Why does his chair have wheels? What happened to his legs?</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote bombarded him with a slew of questions, like a child with absolutely no manners. Eddie did his best to ignore it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Hi?' Eddie said, curiously, a note of question in his voice.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Hi!' the man said brightly, extending his right hand for Eddie to shake, 'My name's Flash Thompson, I'm your neighbour, in two-oh-three.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Eddie Brock,' he supplied, taking the man’s hand. As they shook there was the briefest tingling </span>
  <em>
    <span>zap</span>
  </em>
  <span> between them. The symbiote made an excited trilling noise in his mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Ooh, static!’ the man, Thompson, laughed, shaking his hand slightly, as if dispelling the feeling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Haha, sorry about that,’ Eddie laughed awkwardly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Flash Thompson had a handsome sort of face, angular, his sharp jawline covered in a light dusting of stubble. His strawberry blonde hair was shaggy around his ears, like it’d been a few months since he’d gotten it cut. He looked to Eddie like he was probably in his early thirties, though there was something boyish and youthful about his eyes. Eddie noted the solid muscles of his shoulders and chest, visible through his v-neck shirt. His handshake had been strong, too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Y’know, that apartment’s been empty for a while now, nice to finally have someone in it,’ Thompson was chatting away, easily brushing past Eddie’s awkwardness, ‘Have you met Mrs. Gilmour yet? Or the Parkinsons?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, we- I met Mrs. Gilmour when I arrived yesterday. She’s… nice,’ his tone wavered, betraying how nice he actually thought the old woman was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>She was unpleasant.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thompson chuckled, a low resonant sort of sound, catching Eddie’s meaning, ‘Yeah, she’s a character. Did her dog like you or hate you?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Oh, it hates me. Barked non-stop the second it saw me.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, if her dog hates you that’s it, you’re a bad person in her eyes,’ he explained.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I’m definitely a dog person, usually,’ Eddie said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Me too! Except for that one. Though the damn thing loves me! Lucky me, I guess,’ he chuckled again, before carrying on, ‘So on this floor there Mrs. Gilmours in two-oh-two, and then the Parkinsons, Jenny and Chris, are in two-oh-one. They’re a pretty young family, keep to themselves mostly. I think their son just turned one.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie nodded as Thompson spoke. Venom was unusually quiet in this mind right now. He could feel it though, right behind his eyes, watching the man intently. It was making it very hard for him not to downright stare at their new neighbour. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Then there's just me in two-oh-three. I like to think I’m not all that bad of a neighbour.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I’m sure you’re better than my last neighbour. Guy used to play his damn guitar all hours of the night.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Well you definitely won’t have to worry about that kind of thing here.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could feel the symbiotes fascination and curiosity for the man before him, like a small flame in his chest. There was something else there too, something Eddie couldn’t quite name. Was it excitement, or joy?   </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Oh! I have cookies,’ Thompson exclaimed, picking up the white cardboard box in his lap with both hands. Eddie hadn’t even noticed it before.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'They're double choc-chip,' Thompson said, handing the box over to Eddie, ‘My girl- My, uh, friend would have said to bring a bottle of wine, but I figured chocolate was safer.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Woah, thanks man,’ beamed Eddie, as pleased as the symbiote was at the gift, ‘You really didn't have to do that.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Nah, it’s nothing. They're just from the bakery near where I work. I saw someone had moved in, figured I'd be neighbourly,’ he rubbed the back of his neck a little awkwardly with one hand, smiling humbly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No really, these are-’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Perfect.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘They’re perfect.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Awesome,’ Thompsons smile widened, crinkling his eyes, ‘Well, Eddie Brock, it was a pleasure to meet you. Hope I’ll see you round.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah yeah, great to meet you too, man. And thanks again.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Anytime,’ Flash waved, before moving down the hall back to his own apartment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>He is sad,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote drawled, once Eddie had shut their door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'What makes you say that?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We could taste it.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You could </span>
  <em>
    <span>taste</span>
  </em>
  <span> it?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>When we touched him, we could taste his emotions.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You mean you sensed it?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Hmm,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote hummed, unsure, </span>
  <b>
    <em>It is difficult to describe how we perceive things. It is tasting, but not the way humans taste food.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘He didn’t seem sad to me.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You do not believe us?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No, I believe you. People hide their emotions from other people all the time.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Why didn’t you ask him about his legs?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Because that would be rude.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>How is that rude?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘He has a disability, and-’ Eddie stopped, thinking for a moment, trying to decide on the best way to explain it to the alien.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘And I guess a lot of people in the world see being disabled as a bad thing. If you’re different, or flawed, then you’re somehow weaker. So disabled people get a lot of discrimination against them.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We understand. My species also held prejudice against the weak and different.</em>
  </b>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>A strong feeling of sorrow and discomfort from the symbiote rippled across Eddie, making him shudder. Huh. There was a story there, he knew it. He’d have to ask about that later.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Well, if the first thing we ask him about himself is what happened to his legs, then we’re drawing attention to what’s different about him. He could have been born like that, or maybe he was in an accident. Either way, that’s not exactly something you discuss with a total stranger. I’m sure he’s more complicated than ‘a guy in a wheelchair’. Most people are.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He set the box of cookies down on the counter, opening the lid. Twelve fat chocolate-chip cookies sat there, looking fresh out of the oven. They smelled </span>
  <em>
    <span>amazing</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘For one, he’s generous, buying cookies for a new neighbour. For another, he also doesn’t like Mrs Gilmours dog.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We like him, </em>
  </b>
  <span>the symbiote said cheerfully, as Eddie took a big bite out of one of the cookies.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Of course you do,’ he said around a mouth full of the chocolate treat, ‘You’d like anyone who bought you chocolate.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie plopped down in the bean bag, sinking comfortably into it. Box of cookies balanced on his lap he unlocked his phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Alright. Let’s see if we can get internet set up here.’</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>‘Are we sure this is a good idea?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie was straddling the window sill that led out onto the fire escape, one leg still inside. He had stopped midway through leaving, now staring up at the rooftop of the neighbouring building, apprehensive. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What if someone sees us?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We are seen all the time.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Very funny,’ Eddie rolled his eyes, ‘I mean, what if someone sees you, sees </span>
  <em>
    <span>Venom</span>
  </em>
  <span>.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Like who?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Literally anyone! Anyone could see us, we’re not exactly small.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We will eat them.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘That can’t be your solution to everything.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Why not?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Because it’s impractical. And remember ‘good people’ and ‘bad people’? I will not let you devour some good guy just cause they saw us.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Then we will be cautious.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I don’t know…’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie…</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote had a pleading, persuasive tone to its voice, </span>
  <b>
    <em>Would you rather go back to bed, try to sleep, on that?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It turned Eddie’s head, drawing his attention to the shitty air mattress, laying forlornly half deflated on their bedroom floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That damn thing was why he’d gotten up in the first place. Last night had been rough, but at least they’d been reasonably fatigued from a week of work. Tonight though, he wasn’t tired at all. Light still filtering in through the thin curtains he’d bought hadn’t helped the situation either.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’d been laying there for over an hour, the air slowly leaking from their make-shift bed. He couldn’t exactly feel it going down, but any time he shifted or rolled over he could feel the bed dip deeper, closer to the floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d finally gotten up, pacing across the living room. Restless boredom a drain on his mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom had suggested they go hunting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d agreed at first, eager for something to do, but now he was second guessing that decision. On the one hand, a night time adventure would be fun, and it would give the symbiote a chance to take over, to take control, to do what it wanted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the other hand, they could be seen. They could be recognised. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Take a risk, Eddie. It will be fun.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Remember what we talked about? If you’re seen and they catch us, we’ll be separated.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Then we won’t be caught.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘But if we </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span>…’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We will protect you, Eddie. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That comment, stated so simply, so matter-of-factly, had sent a delightful feeling of warmth through Eddie. Awe and appreciation settled in his chest, and he really hoped the symbiote could feel it as well.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Thanks, buddy,’ he replied softly, ‘I’ll protect you, too.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He swung his other leg out the window, leaving it open a crack. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What’s life without a little risk, huh?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yesss…</em>
  </b>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Letting the symbiote take him over was an interesting sensation. One that Eddie had to admit he reveled in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The first time it had happened, weeks ago now, when he'd been laying in the road, body battered and broken after they'd crashed the bike into the hood of an oncoming car, he’d been too shocked and confused to properly register what was actually happening. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As Venom had righted his limbs, snapping bones back into place and healing his wounds, he hadn’t a clue what was happening. It had formed around him, it’s mass swelling, growing in size, and extending thick branch-like tendrils to stand him- </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span> up, to tower, monstrous and menacing over the Life Foundation thugs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie hadn’t even thought being like that was an option.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Never, in his wildest dreams.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom sprinted up the rest of the fire escape and onto the roof. They took huge, running steps, kicking off hard at the edge of the building, leaping to the next building over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Those first few days had been an absolutely wild ride, one he’d mostly just clung on for, hoping somehow that he’d at least make it out alive. He had no idea then what the symbiote was capable of. Or, more accurately, what they, together, were capable of.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And honestly, they were only just cracking the surface of those possibilities. The symbiote constantly surprised him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At the edge of a building Venom crouched, using the strength of their powerful thighs to push off, hard, to sail through the air, then grab the edge of the roof of the next building, swiftly pulling themselves up, continuing to run through the night.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When they were like this Eddie lost all concept of where he ended and his alien other began. He knew he was in there, somewhere, but the symbiote had the reins, it’s will carrying them along through the night. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Surrendering to it like that was strange, uncanny. Yet oddly freeing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was this what it was like for Venom, when he was the one in control?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie marvelled at their speed as they ran through the city, powerful footfalls that should have been loud barely making a sound. They could move like this for blocks and blocks, up over buildings, jumping, soaring- practically flying along. What would have exhausted any normal human, the amount of physical exertion it took, even the world's fastest athletes couldn't keep up with the pace Venom set. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were indestructible. Super-human.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Eddie loved it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>‘You are enjoying this,’</b>
  <span> Venom rumbled, pleased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You know it.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>‘See, it was a good idea.’</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stopped, staring out across the city for a moment. Eddie wasn’t exactly sure where they were now, they’d strayed pretty far from home. Keen alien senses picking up sounds and scents, activity and motion in the streets around them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without warning they sprung forward and down, touching the street once before leaping upwards, momentum allowing them to race up the next building, higher and higher.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took Eddie a moment to realise Venom was scaling the side of a massive skyscraper.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, come on man, not that high.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While he might love running through the streets, he did not love heights.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>‘It is fine, Eddie.’</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s not fine, it’s not fine at all!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They kept climbing, Eddie feeling queasy at the distance between them and the ground now. Surely the symbiote could feel that?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Embrace the fear, Eddie.’</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, no, no, no.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was having vivid flashbacks to the last time they were up this high. The symbiote had been shaken off him then, and they slipped, sliding down the outside of a fifty story building. He'd been certain he was going to die then.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He felt certain he was gonna die </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Relax. We are in total control.'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It doesn’t feel like it!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’d reached the apex of the building and Venom had a much better view. This high up all they could hear was the whistling of the wind but Venom’s keen eyes still took in everything. The cars traveling the streets below them and across the bridges, which buildings had lights, even a few people here and there, down on the pavement far below.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Far far below.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Vertigo washed over Eddie making him feel unsteady and woozie.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit shit shit </span>
  </em>
  <span>fuck</span>
  <em>
    <span>, okay man, lets go</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Go where?'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Down, get us down, please-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then Venom lept, plummeting straight towards the ground.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie couldn’t scream, but even if he'd been able too he's not sure he would have. The fear was so great, white and blinding, the sudden drop and the force of gravity making their stomach feel miles away. A small part of him could feel the symbiote revelling in the adrenaline of free falling, but all he could see was the pavement below, coming closer and closer, nearer and nearer and-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their trajectory changed. Venom sent out a thick tendril, branching out to grapple the building across the street, and they were now arching through the air, swinging up to the side of it. Venom grabbed on with one hand, foothold wedged into the bricks, hanging off the side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Wasn’t that fun?'</b>
  <span> Venom laughed, peering back up at where they'd just fallen from.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, fuck no!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Eddie was beside himself, </span>
  <em>
    <span>You did that on purpose!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Yes.'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What the fuck is wrong with you?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Nothing. We are not the one with fear.'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck you, man!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Don't be such a pussy, it was fun.'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You enjoyed that?!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Yes.'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You sick fuck, let me go right now.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'We can't do that, Eddie.' </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fine, put us on the fucking ground then.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They did, sliding down the wall and landing with a soft thump in a deserted alley.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Why would you </span>
  </em>
  <span>do</span>
  <em>
    <span> that?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Your adrenaline tastes good.</b>
  <span>'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Jesus Christ, there are other ways we can produce adrenaline!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'You need to get past this fear.'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Throwing me off a building isn’t gonna do that!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Then what do you suggest?'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I dont fucking know man,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Eddie was angry now, the scare subsiding. He couldn't believe the symbiote would fuck with him like that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Take us home,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he demanded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'But we haven't eaten.'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I dont give a shit. We can eat at home.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Eddie...'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Don't whine at me, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eddie snapped,</span>
  <em>
    <span> You did this. Home. Now.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Fine.'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>We will be discussing this.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote merely grunted in response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'Do you wish us to walk?'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No... just, nothing over three stories.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom climbed back up the building, heading back the way they'd come. Eddie was still fuming, distressed and distracted by the symbiotes actions. He couldn’t believe it would do that! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had said his adrenaline tasted good. What exactly did that mean? Was the symbiote getting a kick out of his fear? And what the fuck was he supposed to do if it was?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How was he supposed to trust it?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie could feel his mood spiraling, hot anger churning their stomach. The symbiote must have been agitated too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was so distracted he barely registered their journey home. They’d reached their new apartment building, Venom climbing nimbly down the fire escape, sliding open the window on the second floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was weird. He was sure they'd left that unlocked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They slipped through the open window, and something crunched under their feet. Venom growled, looking down, a broken bottle splintered and shattered at their feet. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Where had that come from?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a bang, the sound of a door being opened abruptly, then a man’s voice shouted, ‘Don’t move!’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The light to the living room flicked on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom froze.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They'd been so angry and upset that they hadn’t paid attention to </span>
  <em>
    <span>which</span>
  </em>
  <span> second floor window they'd climbed into.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They'd broken into the </span>
  <em>
    <span>wrong apartment</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And now a blonde man in a wheelchair was pointing a gun at them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm so sorry they had another fight. I swear, they work things out and do end up getting along!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter Three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The situation we left our boys in is resolved (sort of), Eddie has a dream and doesn't deal with his feelings, and they have lunch with Anne.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Man and monster stood transfixed, staring each other down, uncertain of what move the other would make first.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Shit shit shit.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was Thompson going to shoot them?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'What the fuck…' the man breathed, disbelief at what he was seeing clear on his face. Thompson was staring at them, open mouthed, taking in their imposing and monstrous form with wide eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What… What are you?’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom didn’t move. Eddie was also stunned, hi brain running a hundred miles an hour, trying to figure out what to do.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something clicked over in Thompson, and he sat up a little straighter, shoulders squared, ready for action. He spoke again, ‘What do you want?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie was surprised at the level of calm in Thompsons voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘We…’ Venom began, taking a tentative step forward, crushed glass crunching underfoot again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>No, no, what are you doing?!</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie panicked, as Thompson shouted, 'Whoa! No, don't move!'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He raised the gun higher, pointing directly at their face now. He held it steady with both hands, but Eddie could see his chest rising, breathing heavy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Put your hands up.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Why?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>So he doesn’t shoot us!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It will do us no harm.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I don’t care, put your damn hands up!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom slowly raised their hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thompson was completely focused on them, staring Venom down. Through the symbiote’s senses Eddie could hear the man’s heartbeat pounding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Let's go, let's go, let's go, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eddie was chanting, willing the symbiote to move, to get out of there, </span>
  <em>
    <span>please, please let’s go.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom let out a low growl, teeth bared and eyes squinted, before moving, lightning fast. Thick tendrils shot out of their back, pulling them out the open window. They sprang off the fire escape to the building across the alley and up over it's roof.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were gone before Thompson could even respond.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom didn't stop moving until they were two blocks away, coming to rest in someone’s rooftop garden. They sat down, heavily, the symbiote sliding away, back under Eddie’s skin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Shit shit shit,’ he was panting, hard, ‘We fucked up!’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We know!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What happened to not being seen?' Eddie ran his hands over his head, pulled at his hair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We did not mean for him to see us!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'I can't believe we broke into the wrong damn apartment,' panic was filling Eddie, making his limbs feel weak and shaky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We could-</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote began, tentatively.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I swear to God, if you suggest we eat him-’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>No</em>
  </b>
  <b>,</b>
  <span> the symbiote agreed mournfully, </span>
  <b>
    <em>He is a good guy.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Exactly. And it would be super suspicious if we moved in and suddenly one of the neighbours turns up decapitated.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie peered out over the low garden wall at the darkened city. He had no idea what time it was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Come on, let's head back,' he prompted the symbiote to form over him once again, 'Hopefully Thompson just thought he was having a crazy dream and went back to bed.' </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But that was wishful thinking, and Eddie knew it. The guy had pulled a gun on them, there was no way he had just gone back to bed. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He</span>
  </em>
  <span> certainly wouldn't have, if he was in Thompsons situation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Back at their street Venom crouched on the roof of the apartment building opposite their own, being careful to stay hidden in shadow. The light in Thompsons living room was still on, though he wasn't in the window. Thankfully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>How are we gonna get back in there?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'He is not watching…'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Do we make a break for it?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'We have a better idea.'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They moved to the back side of the roof, dropping quietly down into the park below. In the shadows of a tree Venom ducked down low, waiting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What are you doing?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'We have camouflaged.'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Camouflaged?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Eddie was confused. Venom held up one of their own hands, examining it. The appendage looked strange, a weird refraction of reflected shades and shadows. It almost looked as if-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You can become invisible?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Eddie faltered, momentarily stunned, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Why didn't you do that back inside!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'No point, he had already seen us.'</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You gotta tell me about these things you can do, man.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>'You did not ask.' </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom moved forward, still hunched on all fours, creeping towards the alleyway between the two buildings. All the other occupants were still asleep, so very little light spilled into the alley, at least from this side.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They edged towards the fire escape, lightly springing up the stairs, ascending as quickly as they dared. For a creature of their size Eddie was impressed at just how quiet Venom could be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nearly at their own window now, just half a staircase more. They could see the light next door was still on, illuminating the area. One step, two. They inched upwards. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a sudden noise in the alley down below them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fuck.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom froze, not even daring to look below. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Please let Thompson be back in bed, please let Thompson be back in bed, please-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They saw his shadow move across the window. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What the fuck was that?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>There is a cat,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote murmured to him, internally.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Can Thompson see us?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We are still camouflaged.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They waited. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right now Eddie thought his own heartbeat was the loudest sound in the world.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a few long moments the shadow moved away, retreating further back into the apartment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom took this as their chance, slinking up the rest of the stairs, rolling delicately through their own window this time, into the safety of the apartment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as they hit the floor the symbiote zipped back inside Eddie, leaving him lying flat on his back, heart pounding in his ears. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That had been way, way too close for comfort.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sat up, crawling towards the window, sliding it shut as quietly as he could. God damn.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'That enough of a thrill for you? Got enough of my fear for one night?' Eddie hissed, anger rising hot in his chest again, mixed with the panic and fear of being caught, of being seen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are still angry.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Of course I'm still angry! You deliberately put me in a situation that you knew terrified me! The consequences of that being we were so distracted we </span>
  <em>
    <span>broke into the wrong apartment!</span>
  </em>
  <span>'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We thought it would be fun.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You thought it would be fun to scare me?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>No! To fall, to dive</em>
  </b>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Fuck me, man,' Eddie groaned, fists clenched, jaw tight. This alien was going to be the death of him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He took a deep breath in through his nose, 'You </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> I don't like heights. I asked you to stop, you took it too far. You can see why I'm upset, right?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We can.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie back sat down, leaning against the wall under the window sill, staring around at the dark and empty apartment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'I was scared. I panicked. I though-’ he thought he was going to die. He didn’t want to voice that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You should have listened to me, instead of just doing whatever you wanted. I don't- it’s really hard for me to trust you when you do shit like that.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom had the sense to stay silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'And then breaking into Thompsons apartment? We gotta be more careful.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We know. We are sorry,</em>
  </b>
  <span> he felt apologetic waves projected at him from the symbiote. It dawned on him he also felt incredibly drained. Sadness and guilt, churning in his stomach. Was that coming from him, or the symbiote? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Did it really matter? This was two fights they'd had now, in as many days.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'I'm sorry, too, buddy,' he said quietly, wringing his hands together, 'I don't wanna fight with you.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We do not want to fight you either, Eddie.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'We gotta work on our communication, yeah? We gotta listen to each other. This has gotta be a partnership, not a- a one-sided tug of war...' he trailed off, losing the thread of the metaphor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We agree.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Okay. Cool,' at least the symbiote understood what he meant. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They sat in silence for a while, Eddie slowly getting control of his pounding heart. After a few long moments Eddie stood up, yawning and stretching, making his way into the bedroom. The air mattress was almost completely deflated again, crumpled forlornly in the middle of the floor. He turned the pump on, thinking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You said, earlier, you said adrenaline tastes good?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>The human body produces many chemicals and hormones. All the time. Some of them we find particularly enjoyable.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Yeah, adrenaline can be a pretty good rush. But there are other ways to get a rush, instead of fear.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Like what?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Well, doing something exciting, or fun,’ he thought for a moment. One of the top things he’d always gotten a thrill just riding his bike, and that car chase through the city from Drakes goons certainly ranked high on that list. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Going out on the bike is great. And running when you’re in charge is a lot of fun. Maybe we can go swimming in the bay, that kind of diving I'm not scared of.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He thought back to a few weeks ago, to their fight with Riot. Now that had been a blast, fighting with the symbiote. Fighting another symbiote, in brutal, wild, impossible ways. He could admit he </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> enjoyed that, right up until he'd been stabbed through the chest. And Venom was good at fighting.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'And y'know, I don't mind the fighting. You're really good at that, and that’s gotta produce adrenaline.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It does.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Well, there we go, we've got some options that don't involve heights.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His stomach growled. After all that he'd forgotten the whole point in their little night time excursion was to find something to eat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie...</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote rumbled, hesitantly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'We're hungry?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Mmm.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie picked up his phone, where it was left on the kitchen counter. The time on the screen flashed up: two-fifteen am.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Alright. I'll make us a sandwich. Do you want salami or chicken?</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Her hand was on his chest, pressing him down into the chair behind him. He sat, more focused on the actions of her other hand, deftly unzipping his fly. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Her face was inches from his own, and he leaned forward, capturing her lips with his, briefly, before she pulled away, grinning.  </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Then his jeans and boxers were gone, and she was kneeling between his legs. He ran one hand through her blonde hair, watching with admiration as strands of gold fell around her eyes. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>She ran both hands up the inside of his thighs, slowing to a stop where they met his hips, her face so close to his-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The bright cheery charm of his alarm woke Eddie up. Flat on his stomach, he lifted his head off the pillow, reaching on hand out to grab his phone off the floor, silencing it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Good morning, Eddie.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Hi, Vee,’ he groaned, rolling on to his back. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d been having what was promising to be a really </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span> dream. Except…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course it had to be about </span>
  <em>
    <span>Anne</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And now he just felt awkward, having a sex dream about his ex, waking up to the symbiote (metaphorically) hovering over him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He threw off the covers, inspecting his crotch. No hard-on, thank god. If that dream had gone on any longer though he certainly would have woken up… compromised. And he was still a little turned on, the anticipation of what had been about to come in the dream lingering…</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A cold shower first thing in the morning didn’t sound particularly appealing, but it was better than the alternative- explaining what his problem was to the symbiote.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thankfully Venom hadn’t noticed anything was bothering him. It had told him that it couldn’t see his dreams, and right now he was inclined to believe it. He suspected it would have a lot more questions for him right about now if it could.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He got up, slouching to the bathroom, remembering to grab one of the nice new bath towels on the way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Getting undressed he switched the water on, shivering when he stepped into the colder than normal spray.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Cold, </em>
  </b>
  <span>the symbiote grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I’m just a little hot this morning, aren’t you?’ he said quickly, coming up with an excuse, praying the symbiote wouldn’t read it as a lie. Technically it was true, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> hot, just… in a different way. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>No...</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Damn his unconscious mind. A sex dream about his ex, just great.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What was he gonna do if this kept happening? With the symbiote now tagging along, a roommate in his own body...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nope! That train of thought was not something he was even going to entertain this early on a Monday morning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He just had to not think about the dream at all, for the rest of the day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or ever again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Especially considering they were getting lunch with Anne later. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His stomach rumbled, causing the symbiote to make a similar noise in his mind. For once the alien’s perpetual hunger was a welcome distraction.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Got any breakfast preferences this morning, buddy?’ he got out of the shower, drying off normally today.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Cereal! </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Cereal it is.’</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>‘So how’s life, living with an alien?’ Anne inquired, a knowing smile quirked her lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Shhh!’ Eddi waved his hand around in a kind of shushing motion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Oh, it’s fine, no one’s paying attention to us,’ Anne said breezily, picking up her latte. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was right, of course. The cafe they were in was reasonably packed, being lunch-time on a weekday. The chatter of other patrons combined with the upbeat indie music playing through the speakers over their heads meant very little could be heard of their conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It’s… y’know, it’s kinda weird-’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Weird?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘- but not exactly bad,’ Eddie concluded, idly swirling his own coffee. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No more eating people, I hope?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Well, we haven’t yet. It’s hard to keep the damn thing fed though.’  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What else does he eat?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Whatever it can, honestly. Though it definitely prefers… fresh meat.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Tell her about the raccoon.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I’m not telling her about the raccoon.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘The raccoon?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It wants me to tell you about the raccoon we ate.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Oh, ew, Eddie!’ Anne exclaimed, turning away and grimacing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It was delicious!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It was gross.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I regret asking.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At that moment a server brought over their lunch orders. Anne’s, a simple looking egg salad sandwich, Eddies, a pork belly sandwich. It smelt amazing. The symbiote was now solely focused on the meal before them. He took a huge bite out of the sandwich, practically wolfing it down. Anne raised her eyebrows at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What?’ he mumbled, barely intelligible around his mouthful of food.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Nothing, you’re just eating like a man who hasn’t seen food in a week.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You have no idea,’ Eddie swallowed. A piece of tomato fell out of the over stacked sandwich in his hands, where it plopped feebly onto his plate, ‘We’ve been eating like a horse. And it probably would eat a horse! We actually went out the other night. Y’know,’ Ehe whispered the end of his sentence, ‘to go hunting.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Is that a good idea?’ Anne said doubtfully, ‘What if someone sees you?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Well...'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes widened, 'Eddie, what did you do...'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'We… well,’ he began slowly, preparing for Anne’s reaction, ‘On the way home we may have... accidentally broken into the wrong apartment.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Eddie!’ Anne gasped, covering her mouth in shock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘And the guy who lived there </span>
  <em>
    <span>might</span>
  </em>
  <span> have pulled a gun on us.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Oh my god,’ her expression shifted from wary to fearful, 'Eddie, you didn't- you know,' she moved her hand, learning forward to whisper to Eddie, 'Eat him?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'No! Of course not!' Eddie responded, appalled, 'We didn't do anything to him!'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Oh thank god,’ she leant back, ‘Did he shoot you?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'No. He was surprisingly calm, actually. But he was pretty shocked to see it. Uh, us.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'’It’?’ Anne squinted at him, head cocked to one side, ‘Did you just call Venom ‘it?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, what’s wrong with that?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Well he’s not an object, or an animal.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie shook his head, 'No, but… it's hard to know what to call it. To call them?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Have you tried asking Venom what he likes to be called?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'No...' Eddie said slowly. It honestly hadn’t even occurred to him to do that. He looked down at the food in his hands, not being able to turn and look at the symbiote properly. He placed the half eaten sandwich back on his plate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Hey, buddy,’ he began, voice low, ‘What, uh... What do you like to be called?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a beat before the symbiote replied, </span>
  <b>Venom.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote’s tone suggested Eddie was an idiot for even asking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No, I mean what pronouns do you like?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We like 'we'. And 'us'</em>
  </b>
  <span>, the symbiote stated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Okay, but what about when I wanna refer to just you?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>There is no 'just me'. We are </em>
  </b>
  <b>us</b>
  <b>
    <em> now, Eddie.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie huffed. That wouldn’t work, and wasn’t what he meant at all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘The plural is too confusing. I can't refer to you as ‘we’ when I don't mean me included.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are always included.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Uh thanks. That’s… actually pretty sweet, I guess,' he thought for a moment, trying to find an example. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'What about if I wanna talk about your home planet. I can't say 'Our home planet', cause they're too entirely different places. I gotta say my home planet, and Venom's home planet. Do I say ‘his’? Do I say ‘hers’?' he supposed the symbiote could be a girl. He hadn't considered that, 'Do you even have a gender?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We do not.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Right,’ Eddie huffed again, ‘That doesn't help me what-so-ever.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>The concept of human gender seems incredibly complex. It is based off sex, yes? You have rules and guidelines for it, yet they are entirely arbitrary.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Yeah, well, humans are pretty complicated,' he didn't want to get into a debate about 'the concept of human gender' with the alien, 'I just need to know what to call you, man.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote hummed lightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We suppose 'he' is acceptable. It is what you are, so it is what we are.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Okay, cool. 'He' it is. That's easy.' </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anne, who had been watching Eddie throughout this exchange, said, ‘I only heard half of that, but it sounds like you figured it out?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah,’ Eddie answered, gathering up his sandwich again, ‘It- he wants to be called ‘he’, cause that’s what I am, I guess.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Cute,’ Anne laughed, taking a bite out of her own sandwich now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Aw, she thinks we’re cute,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote trilled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You’re not cute, you’re a menace.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>A menace! Do you want us to be?</em>
  </b>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie had a feeling if he could see the symbiote right now, it- he would be grinning. As it was he could feel a playful sort of mischievousness bubbling across their bond.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You already are, you little shit,’ he teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anne was laughing at them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Don’t laugh, you’ll only encourage it- him.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We need no encouragement.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I only hear half the conversation, you sound like a crazy person.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What am I supposed to do, ignore him?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Can’t you just, think at him?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No. We had to put some boundaries in place. Having him read my mind all the time was... getting uncomfortable.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>For you. </em>
  </b>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No, we are not getting into this again,’ Eddie shook his head, ‘We made an agreement.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We did. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Boundaries are great,’ Anne said, still smiling at him, ‘I’m happy for you both.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie found his attention being drawn back to his sandwich. Tomato juice and pork fat was dibling down the inside of his hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How much should he tell Anne? Should he explain about the fight, about jumping off a skyscraper? He settled on not telling her, for now. Instead all he said was, 'He can be stubborn. And impulsive.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You two will get along great then.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie frowned, ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You know exactly what that’s supposed to mean, Eddie.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>She is right. You are stubborn.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You don’t have to agree with her!’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Anne was laughing again, ‘He agrees with me? Sounds like he’s the smart one, too.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Aw, she thinks we’re smart.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Smartass,’ Eddie grumbled, tucking back into their lunch.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Bit of a shorter chapter this week, but chapter four is looking to be fairly lengthy soo</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter Four</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eddie and Venom have another evening outing, and Venom actually gets a meal this time. They also do a good deed and help find their neighbours missing dog.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>For Eddie the rest of the week had passed by in a casual, uneventful blur. Just a stream of hours and days, getting up, going to his job, powering through research and reports, all while trying to keep his symbiote entertained while he worked, and fed in his downtime.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He definitely hadn’t had any more intimate dreams about Anne.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he thought he was doing a very good job of ignoring all thoughts of sex in front of the symbiote.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All in all, a normal, average week. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With his alien.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though that being said, today had dragged on. His afternoon had been spent answering emails, waiting for replies, back and forth. Venom had become increasingly irritated at the lack of inaction his work created and was brooding again. Eddie had a feeling that had been building all week. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After their fiasco of an outing last weekend, Venom had been silent on prompting Eddie to take them out. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They hadn’t been out again after the catastrophe that had been their last evening outing. Eddie knew he couldn’t keep the symbiote cooped up much longer. Venom would probably end up snapping and taking over whether Eddie liked it or not. He knew how strong a will the symbiote had, and that he was only in control because Venom allowed it. He didn’t want to wake up one day to find they’d been out all night while he still slept.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Later that evening it seemed Venom had reached his breaking point, becoming progressively grumpy and snappish throughout the afternoon.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote grumbled, a low whine, </span>
  <b>
    <em>We do not understand this.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie looked up from his laptop, turning his attention to the TV screen. They were currently curled up in the bean bag, a brand new television plugged in and sitting on the floor across from them. Sick of waiting for the Life Foundation to send all his old stuff Eddie had caved and bought a new television. Eddie had hoped introducing the symbiote to TV would have given him an easy way to keep Venom occupied while he dealt with work. He’d let the symbiote have free rein over his netflix account, but so far that particular experiment hadn’t had the desired effect.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What had actually happened was the symbiote had just been completely confused. He was either bored by whatever he was watching, trying to skip to something more interesting, or confused, not understanding why characters did what they did. That resulted in far too many questions. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So far they’d tried drama and comedy, cartoons and reality tv. Nothing caught the symbiotes attention.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turns out most television and movies required a lot of context about human life to understand. Context which Venom didn’t have yet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right now the characters on screen were engaged in a heated argument. Eddie paused the movie. It wasn’t even one he’d seen, so he couldn’t explain what was happening to the symbiote.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What don’t you understand?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>None of it,</em>
  </b>
  <span> Venom snapped, </span>
  <b>
    <em>We do not understand this movie. We do not like any of this.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You were fine with this before, when we were watching things at the hotel,’ he noted. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You watched then, we did not. We were still recovering. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Oh.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie, let us go out.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There it was. Eddie knew it was coming. Honestly he was impressed the symbiote had held out this long. It was like he had an internal itch or a craving. A need to hunt.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not unlike another itch that Eddie had. A feeling he was resolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> thinking about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could think about this though, about Venom's problem. Even if he still had his doubts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I don’t know, Vee. What if we’re seen again?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We will not be seen.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I really gotta finish this,’ he gestured at his work, still open on his laptop.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Your work is boring.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Then watch TV.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Television is boring.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Hey, I’m trying here, what else do you want from me?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We want to go out.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I just said, we can’t.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>But we are hungry!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were </span>
  <em>
    <span>always</span>
  </em>
  <span> hungry, Eddie couldn’t deny that. He sighed. If this constant hunger was frustrating for him it certainly was as bad for the symbiote. Maybe worse.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We will take over and eat that thing next door.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Do you mean Mrs Gilmour or her dog?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Either works.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Jesus, dude!’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You whine too much.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I whine too much? You haven’t stopped whining all night,’ arguing with Venom was like arguing with a petulant child. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We are bored! And we are hungry!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie sighed again. He already knew he wasn’t going to win this fight. The antsy feeling the symbiote had been projecting all day, the restlessness, was grating on his nerves. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Fine, fine, alright, we can go out. But absolutely no heights tonight.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>No heights,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote agreed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘And you’ll listen to me? Nothing stupid or dangerous that I’m uncomfortable with?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We promise.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He focused on the symbiote, feeling it nestled in his chest. He couldn't feel any dishonesty from the alien. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Okay,’ Edde said, saving his work, shutting his laptop and getting up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Thank you, Eddie,</em>
  </b>
  <span> he felt the symbiote doing a cheerful little summersault in his stomach. The pleased feeling that suddenly hit Eddie made him giddy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He grabbed his keys and jacket, sliding on his shoes at the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘We’ll walk for a bit, before changing, okay? Just to be safe.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Alright.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They left the apartment, heading out the back door and across to the park. It was late, entirely deserted. The symbiote was an excited swirl inside him, making his spine feel like a coiled spring.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You’ve been waiting for this, huh buddy?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yess…</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He suddenly felt a little guilty, leaving the symbiote cooped up all week. He tried to push it aside. They were still figuring things out, right? It wasn’t his fault last week had been such a fiasco. And they had normal life to get on with, it was impractical to think they could go hunting every night of the week. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They walked for a few blocks, before ducking into a deserted alley. As soon as they were in the shadows the symbiote unfurled around him, taking over control. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom scaled the building, heavy claws digging into the brickwork, climbing up onto the roof. Once up the took off, sprinting through the city. Eddie surrendered to it, letting Venom navigate his own way further into the heart of the city.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a while they arrived at their destination, a deserted pier by the waters edge. Eddie remembered he had suggested they go swimming, and it seemed that was the symbiotes plan tonight. It looked dark and cold tonight, not something Eddie thought at all inviting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They crouched at the edge, staring down into the ocean. Eddie had no idea what was down there, having never even considered swimming in the bay. The water lapped steadily at the supports of the pier, rhythmic echoing slaps of splashing sea water.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>‘Ready?</b>
  <span>’ Venom asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eddie said, and they pushed off the edge of the pier, hard, plunging into the blackness below. Water rushed around them, an explosion of bubbles as they dove, Venom’s powerful legs propelling them along, further into the depths.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie was surprised to notice the water felt cool, but not at all cold. He’d have guessed it had to be below fifty-five degrees, but Eddie felt the same as they’d done out in the evening air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s not cold.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It is. We have adjusted our body temperature, so you do not feel it.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Cool</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Eddie said, struck again by just how strange and impressive the symbiote could be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They swam, further and deeper out into the bay. It was dark, but Venom vision was crystal clear, easily making out shapes in the murky depths. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So far there was no sign of life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie noted they’d been under water for a while now, and hadn’t yet surfaced for air. He knew Venom could hold his breath for a long time, but their chest was starting to feel tight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Surely they would need to breathe soon?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They didn't rise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Vee? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Eddie inquired, trying not to let the alarm he was feeling bleed through to the symbiote.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>What is wrong?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You gonna surface soon?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>What for?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>We gotta breath, buddy.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We do not.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That feeling of alarm was building, Eddie was really starting to panic. He desperately wanted to take a deep breath to calm himself down but he couldn’t even do that because they were </span>
  <em>
    <span>underwater</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he was gonna die, they were gonna suffocate, it would be cold and painful and he couldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathe-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom kicked upwards.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They broke the surface and Eddie gasped, gulping in the crisp night air.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Fucking- thank you,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Eddie bit out, sarcastic tone tinged with hysteria.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You said we could do this.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie thought the symbiote sounded far too calm for how close they’d been to dying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I said we could swim, I didn't say I'd let you drown me!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We would not let you drown, Eddie.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>We were down there for too long!</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Because we do not need to breathe.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What the fuck do you mean, of course we do!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom shifted from treading water to laying on their back, floating, staring up at the dark cloudy sky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie, you are panicking. Take a deep breath in. Then out again.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie listened to the symbiote, doing exactly as he suggested. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Breathing in, and out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In, and out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Out...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Do you feel better?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yes.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Good. Keep breathing.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Okay.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie concentrated on his breath. In... Out... In... Out...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Do you feel it?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Feel what?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We are not breathing.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>W-what?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Eddie stuttered out, confused. How could they not be breathing?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We can absorb oxygen for you through the air around us, or through the water. When we are in control, we do not need to breathe, the way humans usually do.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Then why did it feel like we were drowning?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>You</b>
  <b>
    <em> felt like you were drowning. We were not.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>Had he panicked over nothing?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We are in control, Eddie.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Y-yeah… </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He felt foolish now. Of course the symbiote wouldn’t let him drown.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Imagine you are breathing, if it helps.</em>
  </b>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Right.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>They lay on their back for a while, just drifting. Eddie getting used to the feeling of not breathing. If he didn’t think about it it really didn’t feel all that different from normal. The lights of the Bay Bridge twinkled above them. Bright orbs of gold and orange and the underside of the structure a dark shadow spanning their view. There were a few breaks in the clouds now, and moonlight was starting to peek through.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Okay, I feel alright now. We can keep swimming.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>If you are uncomfortable, we will surface.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Thank you.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom flipped over, dipping back underwater. They didn’t dive quite so deep this time, just easing their way downwards, which Eddie was grateful for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As they swam Eddie let his perceptions be completely overtaken by Venoms. To him the ocean seemed to be nothing but vast empty darkness, surrounding them on all sides. But not to Venom. The symbiote could sense the flow of the current, and the salty brine was more of a feeling than a taste. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was nice, almost serene. He could get used to this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So dark, yet Venom could see yards and yards ahead of them. They could also sense movement in the water. Eddie couldn't explain how but he knew there was something else in the water up ahead. A mass, moving steadily along.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They powered forward, and yet again he was impressed by the speed the symbiote possessed, their powerful strokes through the water, with little effort at all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That something turned out to be a huge school of fish. Silvery scales a bright beacon to Venom's impeccable vision. The school swirled, darting away from them, but Venom was faster.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Dinner time</em>
  </b>
  <span>, the symbiote chuckled. They dove again, adjusting the angle at which they came towards the fish. As they came up underneath it Venom surged forward, arm outstretched to snatch a fish right out of the water. Their powerful jaws snapped off its head, then the thing was swallowed in two bites.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Delicious</em>
  </b>
  <span>, Venom grinned, surging forward again, swimming around them, herding them through the water as they ate. They caught fish after fish, the little things wriggling in their grasp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not a small quantity of fish devoured later when they’d finally had their fill they rose to the surface again. Moonlight shone bright, casting dappled shadows through the ocean around them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie was surprised at the distance they'd travelled. They were much further south now, the Bay Bridge far behind them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom was laughing, joyously, the only sound apart from the steady woosh and flow of waves.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie shared in that elation, could feel how happy the symbiote was right now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>We enjoyed that, huh?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>‘Very much,’</b>
  <span> Venom grinned, their tongue hanging out and getting splashed with salty water, </span>
  <b>‘A hunt is thrilling.’</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah, I can feel that. You wanna fish some more?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>‘We are full.’</b>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Home, then?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <b>‘Home,’</b>
  <span> Venom nodded once, before beginning to swim back towards the city.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>There was a knock on the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie looked up from his laptop. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He'd taken the day to work from home as he was expecting his furniture to be delivered. Finally. One more night sleeping on that crappy air mattress and he might lose it. His back certainly wasn’t as sore as it could have been, but Eddie had a sneaking suspicion the symbiote was somehow helping with that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>There is a woman at the door.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie smiled. This little trick of the symbiotes, telling him who was at the door before he got there amused him. Venom was like his own personal security camera. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Placing the laptop on the floor he padded over to the front door. There was indeed a woman there, in a blue vest, her short hair hidden beneath a matching blue cap. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Hiya, Edward Brock?’ she said, glancing at the clipboard in her hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘That’s me,’ Eddie confirmed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘We got a pretty big delivery for ya.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, just moved in, lost a lotta stuff from my old place.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Right, right. Well you sit tight, Mr. Brock, and we’ll bring this all up for ya,’ she handed him the clipboard and a pen, ‘You just sign here for us.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie took the clipboard, adding his signature to the bottom of the form, then handing it back to the woman. She headed off, back down the stairs, and Eddie left the door open a crack while he went back inside. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>About five minutes later the woman came back, carrying an armful of boxes with the help of a tall balding man. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie indicated for them to start piling boxes up by the windows. As there wasn’t a whole lot in the apartment there was plenty of space to put things for now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It took them the better part of two hours to bring everything up. The symbiote was a curious coil in the back of his mind while Eddie took his time to sort through boxes. Lots and lots of boxes. Had he really had this much stuff? He’d only been in that apartment for about six months.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie noted that most everything was carefully packed, some stuff wrapped in plastic. While the Life Foundation might have taken their damn time getting his stuff back to him, they hadn’t half assed the pack up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hopefully unpacking everything wouldn’t take all weekend. It’d certainly make the place feel more like home though. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>About twenty minutes after the delivery couple had left, while Eddie was sitting on the floor assembling his bed frame there came another knock at the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It is Flash Thompson.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Intrigued, Eddie got up to open the door. As the symbiote had said, there was Flash Thompson, a serious look on his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Hey Brock. You haven’t seen Mrs. Gilmours dog, have you?’ Thompson asked, ‘Apparently he got out, though she doesn’t remember when. She’s quite frantic.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Tell him we ate it.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No!’ Eddie blurted out, more forceful that he’d intended. The reply had been directed at the symbiote, but Eddie realised too late just how that must have sounded to the man before them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Uh, no, no I haven’t,’ he added, trying to sound calmer. He really hoped his face wasn’t red right now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Okay,’ Thompson said, his already concerned frown deepening. Great, now he probably thought Eddie was crazy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Well, let me know if you see him?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, yeah of course.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie shut the door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Will you stop with the eating the neighbours dog thing?’ Eddie rounded on the symbiote.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It amuses us.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It wasn’t funny the first time, it isn’t funny now,’ Eddie rolled his eyes, ‘And you gotta stop saying shocking things to me in front of other people. You know I can’t tune you out.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Aw, do we embarrass you?</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote teased, not sounding the least bit troubled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Sometimes, yeah!’ Eddie threw his hands up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom chuckled. Eddie thought, not for the first time, that the symbiote got far too much enjoyment out of making his life difficult.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We should help Flash.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘How?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Find the dog.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, duh. Eddie felt a little stupid for not offering to help their neighbour straight away, ‘Yeah, we should.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He slipped on his shoes, opening the door to chase after Thompson.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Maybe as a reward he will let us eat the dog!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What did I just say,’ Eddie muttered, exasperated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Out in the hall they could hear Mrs. Gilmour calling for her dog, the old woman’s voice echoing up the stairwell. Thompson was just down the hall speaking to a man with a thick ginger beard and glasses. Eddie assumed that must be Mr. Parkinson, one of the couple living in two-oh-one.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'- it could have gotten outside? Out in the park maybe?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'It's possible, he could have- Brock?' Thompson stopped, as Eddie came up beside them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'We- I thought I'd lend a hand, looking for Mrs. Gilmours dog.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Cool, thanks,’ Thompson said, smiled up at Eddie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I'll come too,' Parkinson disappeared behind his door for a moment. Eddie heard him have a brief conversation, and when he reappeared again he had a jacket in one hand, his wife beside him. She had a small baby boy balanced on her hip. Thompson had told him their names, hadn’t he? Eddie couldn’t recall them now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Mr. Nuggets is missing?' the woman asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Mr. Nuggets?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'The dog’s name is Mr. Nuggets?' Eddie was surprised. Mrs. Gilmour didn't seem the type to give her pet such a frivolous name.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie…</em>
  </b>
  <span> the amusement was clear in Venom’s voice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Her husband named it, before he passed. Isn’t it such a cute name?’ The woman, Mrs. Parkinson said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Very,’ Eddie said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Let’s find Mrs. Gilmour, I think she went to look downstairs,' Thompson suggested, turning to lead the way down the hall to the elevator. Once they were all inside Mr. Parkinson turned to Eddie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Chris Parkinson,' the man held out his hand to Eddie, 'And this is my wife, Jenny, and our son Noah.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie shook the outstretched hand, introducing himself, 'Eddie Brock.' </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>These people are kind,</em>
  </b>
  <span> Venom observed. Eddie wished he could ask the symbiote what he meant by that, but thought better of it. He was starting to suspect the symbiote had some kind of extra sense for the character of people, though maybe a crowded elevator wasn’t the best place to ask things about his alien.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Down on the ground floor they found Mrs. Gilmour, who was still frantically calling for her lost dog.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Hey, Mrs. Gilmour!' Flash called out, wheeling across the lobby towards her, 'These folks have all volunteered to help find Mr. Nuggets.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Oh, Flash,’ the old woman sighed, wringing her hands together, ‘He’s gone! He’s just gone.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Where have you looked already?' Jenny Parkinson asked kindly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'I was upstairs and Mr. Nuggets wasn't there. Wasn’t anywhere,' Mrs. Gilmour said, her voice wavering.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Chris Parkinson took the lead, ‘Alright, let’s split up. I'll go up to the third floor, see if he didn't somehow get up there. Maybe someone up there's seen him,' he said, 'Jenny, why don't you stay with Mrs. Gilmour, and Thompson and Brock can have a look outside.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thompson nodded, then turned to Eddie, 'I'll take the front, you wanna have a look round the back, Brock?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Sounds good.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They headed off in their separate directions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once they were outside Eddie spoke to Venom again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'It couldn't have gone too far,' he held a hand up, shielding his eyes against the bright sunlight, ‘Any clues?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We do not know the creature’s scent well enough to track it. We do sense something in that direction, </em>
  </b>
  <span>the symbiote directed Eddie’s gaze almost directly ahead of them, across the park.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'It’s not human?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It is not human.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Alright, that's a start,' he said, trotting down the steps and across the footpath to the grass beyond.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The park was a nice green space, sloping slightly downhill. Trees and bushes dotted along the lawn, and towards the eastern side, the opposite of their apartment building, was a recreation area with picnic tables and grills.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They made their way down the path, calling out as they went.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Mr. Nuggets? Mr. Nuggets!'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie, it's name…</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he could see Venom’s expression right now Eddie knew the symbiote would be smirking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Is food? I know. Still doesn’t mean you can eat it.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom chuckled, obviously highly amused by the dog’s ridiculous name. He was projecting a giddy sort of mirth at Eddie now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie.</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote snickered his name.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'No, this isn't funny,' Eddie said, though he was barely holding back a laugh himself, 'A poor woman has lost her dog.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>She lost her nuggets!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this Eddie snorted. He couldn't help himself, and he was laughing out loud now, the symbiote’s own cackle ringing in his head. He had to stop walking, he was laughing so hard. The symbiotes amusement was infectious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After a moment of indulgence he took a deep breath in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Okay, which way,' he asked, staring around the park. A woman walking her dog stared at him, but he paid no notice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Hmm,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote paused, thinking. Eddie couldn’t explain it, but he could feel what the symbiote was currently sensing. Just like that had in the ocean a few days ago, though now there was much more activity around them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>There is a family, to the east. To the south there is a man and a dog, </em>
  </b>
  <span>Venom turned them, facing Eddie to the north,</span>
  <b>
    <em> And this way there is a group of small mammals. One of them is a dog.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'That’s gotta be Nuggets,' Eddie said and continued walking in the direction Venom had turned them. The sound of barking came into range and he sped up their pace.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Up ahead there was indeed a little Yorkshire Terrier, standing at the base of a tree, yapping persistently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Whats he barking at?' Eddie wondered. He couldn’t see anything in the branches above.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>There are small mammals up there. They are... rodents.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'They're probably squirrels,' Eddie replied, before calling out to the dog, 'Mr. Nuggets! Come on boy, come here!'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Upon hearing its name the terrier turned, directing its barking at Eddie now. He took a few slow steps forward, the little thing still yapping.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Come on, you dumb dog, come here,' he made his voice softer, hoping not to scare it. He took another step, but it turned out to be one step too close and the dog took off, dashing back up the hill. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Dammit,' Eddie cursed, jogging up the hill after the dog.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The little thing was fast, sprinting full pelt across the grass. It ran directly at a couple who were jogging along the winding paved path, barking as it went, causing them to jump out of the way, startled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Sorry,' Eddie shouted as he ran past them, still chasing the dog, 'Mr. Nuggets! Mr. Nuggets!'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom was laughing again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Not. Funny,’ Eddie puffed. After a few more paces he slowed down. The dog was yards ahead of him, but at least they were closer to the apartment now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We can catch it,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote remarked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'How?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We can run faster.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'That's gonna look real suspicious, if anyone sees me running faster than </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>,' he pointed at Mr. Nuggets, who was now barking at some pigeons.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Would you prefer to chase some more?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Not really, no.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Let us help.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Alright.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He let the symbiote direct them, slowly idling over to where the dog was. Having scared the poor pigeons away it was sitting in the grass, panting happily. They took slow careful steps, Venom employing his little trick to make their footfalls silent.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were close to the dog now, almost close enough to reach out and grab it. Then it turned its head and saw them. The terrier barked once before taking off again, but with the symbiote in control they were right behind it, inhuman speed urging Eddie’s legs forward. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They stayed in pace with the little dog, easily reaching down to scoop it up. With Mr. Nuggets caught they slowed to a jog, then to a walk, the little dog held carefully to Eddie's chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Thanks,' Eddie grinned, deeply appreciative for the symbiote’s help right now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are welcome.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mr. Nuggets, however, was not at all pleased with being captured. He squirmed in Eddie’s arms, struggling and snarling. Eddie hurried back towards their building, the symbiote sneaking out a tendril to open the door for him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Back inside they were the only ones on the ground floor. The dog was growling now, and Eddie was certain it was about to bite them. He placed it on the floor, and it scampered off, standing by the stairs, body low in a threatening stance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just then Thompson came through the front entrance, concern still written all over his face. Until he spotted Eddie and Mr. Nuggets, at which his expression brightened.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You found him!' said Thompson, looking pleased, coming over to where Eddie was standing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘He was down in the park, barking at some squirrels.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I’m impressed you managed to catch him, I’ve seen how fast that little guy runs.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, we had a bit of a wild goose chase getting him back here.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Goose chase? We chased a dog...</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Flash wheeled closer to the dog, ‘Mr. Nuggets, come here boy!’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The dog didn’t budge, still in a defensive stance and growling at Eddie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Whoa, he really doesn’t like you.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I really don’t know why,’ Eddie lied. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It doesn’t like us, </em>
  </b>
  <span>Venom grumbled, sounding irritated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Not your fault,’ Eddie muttered to the symbiote under his breath. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Excuse me?’ Flash turned to look at him. Crap. Eddie hadn’t meant for the other man to hear him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘N-nothing.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just then the elevator door dinged and Chris Parkinson stepped out. Mr. Nuggets turned to bark at him instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You found him!’ Parkinson exclaimed, stepping out of the elevator.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Eddie did. Down in the park.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Let’s get him back upstairs.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘We’re ah, having a bit of trouble with that.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie had taken a few big steps backwards, putting as much distance between him and the dog as possible. He was surprised it hadn’t outright attacked him already, and he could also feel the symbiote in his gut, churning with irritation and anger. It was almost like Venom felt threatened...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I should go,’ Eddie said, ‘He’ll be easier to catch if I’m not here,’ and he was concerned the symbiote might do something rash and uncalled for. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Why don’t you go tell Jenny and Mrs. Gilmour you found him,’ Parkinson suggested, ‘They’re in Mrs. Gilmours apartment.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Right,’ Eddie agreed. As the dog was practically on the stairs now he took a few hesitant side steps, reaching for the button to the elevator. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Once alone in the elevator, Eddie addressed Venom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You okay, buddy? I can feel you’re upset.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>That stupid canine, </em>
  </b>
  <span>the symbiote snapped, </span>
  <b>
    <em>It was going to attack you, Eddie!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘But he didn’t, right?’ Eddie tried to reassure him, ‘He could sense you, couldn’t he?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Well you’re something he doesn’t understand, something new and strange and that can be threatening. So he got defensive. Protective.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We are no threat to that </em>
  </b>
  <b>thing</b>
  <b>
    <em>.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You’re a little threatening.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom growled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie laughed as the elevator opened to the second floor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Come on, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>know</span>
  </em>
  <span> you’re threatening. You’re an ominous alien monster!’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Perhaps, </em>
  </b>
  <span>the symbiote responded. Eddie could sense a coyness in it’s tone now.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I would have thought you’d find that flattering.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It is not the worst thing we could be...</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie smirked to himself as he knocked on the old woman’s door, ‘Mrs Gilmour? We found your dog!’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jenny opened the door, baby Noah was still on her hip, though he was sucking on a toy now. Mrs. Gilmour came shuffling up behind her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Mr. Nuggets? Mr. Nuggets, where is he?’ she said, eagerly looking at Eddie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘He’s still downstairs. He was growling a lot and-’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What did you do? He isn’t hurt, is he?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No. We- I mean I- he’s-’ Eddie stuttered, fumbling over his words. But Mrs. Gilmour wasn’t listening. She charged past him, and out into the hall, calling for her dog again. And then the door to the elevator dinged open once more, revealing Thompson and Parkinson, a happy Mr. Nuggets perched on Thompsons lap.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Oh, Mr. Nuggets!’ Mrs. Gilmour cried. Upon seeing his owner the little terrier jumped down, trotting down the hall and into the old ladies arms.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Mr. Nuggets you naughty boy! You had me so worried. So, so worried! Oh thank God you’re okay. You never ever run away from me again!’ her words were admonishing, but her tone was anything but. She sounded more like she was cooing to a baby, then telling off her pet.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Thank you Flash, thank you ever so much for finding him.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Eddie found him, actually.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That gave the old woman pause. She blinked, looking over at Eddie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It was nothing,’ he said gruffly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Stupid dog. We should get a reward.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie frowned, ignoring the symbiote.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Well. Thank you,’ Mrs. Gilmour said curtly, sounding much less grateful speaking to Eddie than she had to Thompson.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Well that was an adventure,’ said Parkinson, as his wife came out into the hall to stand beside him. Her baby babbled happily when he saw the dog.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Why don’t we all head inside and have a drink?’ Jenny suggested, leading the way back into the apartment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thompson looked over at him, a questioning look on his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie just shook his head, indicating he had no intention of having tea or coffee, or whatever with their neighbours. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I don’t blame you,’ Thompson smiled at him, ‘But thanks again for your help, Brock. Mrs. Gilmour is grateful, even if she doesn’t seem like it.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie shrugged, ‘Eh, I don’t need praise.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Praise is nice.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shook his head again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It’s a good thing you were there. I wouldn’t have been able to chase a dog through the park,’ Thompson laughed, ‘And I can’t see Mrs. Gilmour doing it either. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>That would have been funny.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘That… would have been a funny sight, yeah,’ Eddie said, smiling a little. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We like Flash Thompson.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie’s brow furrowed, perplexed by the symbiote’s sudden comment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What?’ he said out loud.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We said we like Flash Thompson.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What?’ Flash responded, head tilted in confusion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie felt his cheeks redden.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Oh, nothing. I uh, thought you said- N-nevermind,’ he awkwardly tried to cover his vocal outburst.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Flash?’ Mrs. Gilmour’s voice echoed out to them, calling Thompson from inside her kitchen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Coming!’ he called back, moving to enter the apartment, ‘See ya next time, Brock.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah,’ Eddie raised his hand in an awkward sort of wave, as the apartment door shut behind him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Hm</em>
  </b>
  <span>, the symbiote made a little grumbling noise, </span>
  <b>
    <em>You make us look bad.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What? How do I make us look bad?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You were awkward, and that is bad. If Flash Thompson has a bad impression of you, he has a bad impression of us</em>
  </b>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘We just saved a dog, that’s not a bad impression.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You were still awkward.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Cause I had you jabbering away in my ear!’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We do not 'jabber', </em>
  </b>
  <span>the symbiote protested.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You do. It's very hard to concentrate on two different conversations at once.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We were part of the same conversation!</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Yeah, but you’re a part only </span>
  <em>
    <span>I </span>
  </em>
  <span>can hear,' Eddie rolled his eyes, slipping back inside his own apartment. They continued to bicker playfully as they returned to unpacking. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Privately Eddie thought to himself that it was nice to do something heroic with the symbiote, even if that something was just finding their neighbour’s dog. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I apologise for how long it's been since posting an update! What with the current world situation I've found it kinda hard to be creative. I am still working on this story though, and I'm determined to get it finished.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter Five</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Venom asks Eddie an important question about a certain topic which Eddie's been avoiding.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>He was kissing her, her lips a soft, brief press against his own. Her wicked grin as she pulled away from him had Eddie excited. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>She was kneeling between his legs, his boxers already off. Her hands on his thighs, so close to his cock. The anticipation of where this was going was burning-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Then quite suddenly something shot out of his chest. Huge and black the thing grew and grew, filling his entire vision. Taking the shape of a head, then shoulders and torso. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>White, blank eyes, and horrific fangs, leering down at him, as it grew larger still, arms appearing as the monster clawed its way out of his chest-</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie woke with an actual shout, bolting upright.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie? Eddie, what is wrong?</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiotes distressed tone reached him over the pounding of his own heart in his ears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Just- just a nightmare, buddy,’ Eddie gasped out, one hand on his chest as he took slow, steadying breaths.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>A nightmare?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, a bad dream,’ and a really weird one at that. It had definitely started out as the reoccurring dream he’d been having about Anne, until Venom had made a sudden appearance. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Your heart rate is elevated. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, the dream scared me,’ specifically the symbiote in the dream had scared him, ‘It’s okay though, it wasn’t real.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Is this normal? Do humans often have… nightmares?</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote said slowly, testing out the last word.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I usually don’t, no,’ Eddie sat up properly, swinging his legs onto the floor, ‘I guess you’ve never experienced a nightmare, if you don’t dream.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We have not,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote still sounded concerned, </span>
  <b>
    <em>This seems counterproductive to the purpose of sleep. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, y’know, nightmares aren’t ideal,’ Eddie got up, going about their usual morning routine and getting ready for work, ‘They just happen sometimes.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Why?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It depends. Maybe you watched a scary movie, or something traumatic happened that you’re worried about. It’s usually stress related.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>But we are not stressed.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No, we’re not…’ and that was what’s weird, wasn’t it. He’d been feeling pretty good lately. New house, new job, new roommate slash best friend.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By alrights he should be having nightmares about the Life Foundation Incident, but he wasn’t. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Instead he was having reoccuring sex dreams about his ex, which now included being scared of the symbiote.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which was weird, wasn’t it? He wasn’t afraid of Venom, not anymore. In fact, he’d like to think he’d embraced the alien living inside him. They’d had a few hiccups the last couple of weeks, sure, but not enough to have stress nightmares about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The more he thought about it the less scary the dream seemed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As he brushed his teeth he stared at his reflection in the mirror.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was the other part of the dream wasn’t there. He'd had sex dreams about Anne before, back when they were dating, of course. But never frequently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now he’d had two in, what, a week? Give or take? If he wasn't careful they'd start happening every night.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And what would he do then?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he woke up hard, and had to explain that to the symbiote, or had to deal with it, in front of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he was a human man, there was only so long he could ignore his libido before there’d start being issues.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was part of being human, wasn't it? Sex and reproduction was just part of life on earth. Not that he was going to reproduce with Venom. Or have sex with him! </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That thought gave Eddie a funny little knot in the pit of his stomach. He didn’t want that... Did he? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dammit, why was he so worried about this? About the symbiote even seeing him turned on?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Was he just... never going to have sex again? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He had not signed up for that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though it wasn't exactly as though all the details had been explicitly spelled out for him before he'd met Venom, before they'd bonded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>'Dear potential host, the following document contains important information on the care and comfort of your new symbiote.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, symbiotes didn't come with an instruction manual. There was no plan, no detailed guide. As far as he knew he was the only person on earth who had ever done this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were both just figuring out this human host and alien symbiote thing as they went along, taking it day by day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He'd have to figure the sex thing out, too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are brooding,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote said as they left the building. He’d been thinking so deeply Eddie hadn’t realised they’d been moving on auto-pilot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No, I'm not,’ Eddie said casually. He really couldn't keep a thing from his alien. No surprises there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Guess I'm just a little distracted.' </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Do you wish to discuss it?</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote’s question was tentative, not pushing or demanding. That surprised Eddie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could talk about it, but where would he even begin? And he still wasn’t sure he was ready to share this with the symbiote, to explain sex to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Can't a guy brood sometimes?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Hmm. We suppose so.</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom was suspiciously quick to let it go. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Eddie didn’t dwell on it, his thoughts being fairly occupied as they made their way to work. Arriving at the office, coffee in hand he sat down at his desk, Eddie pulled out his laptop. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sex and the symbiote would have to be a problem for future him to figure out.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Unfortunately for Eddie, future him turned out to be not that far in the future at all. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was later in the afternoon, and Eddie had relocated from his desk to the communal lounge area at the office. He was sitting comfortably in a large arm chair, and had his laptop perched on his knees, typing away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He'd finally cracked the challenge of entertaining the symbiote while he worked when yesterday afternoon Eddie had stumbled upon something Venom actually enjoyed watching: documentaries. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Particularly nature and science documentaries. Sweeping visuals, easily present facts about the planet earth, it's creatures, and the way life worked here. The symbiote was captivated. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turned out Venom liked learning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now, headphones in, volume low, and a small pop-up in one corner of the screen let Venom occupy himself and Eddie could actually concentrate on his report.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without the symbiotes constant questions or gradually building boredom Eddie suddenly had a lot more freedom. He only had to endure the occasional fascinated comment or two from the symbiote now and then. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Finding something for Venom to watch had also kept him occupied at night while Eddie slept. The symbiote still wasn't convinced on the benefits of sleeping along with Eddie, but after he had shown Venom the power of searching the internet for any questions he had, he had been quite keen to settle in with the TV on quietly in the background while Eddie slept.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was just past four-thirty, and he was wrapping up the details for a promising source on his latest article. He sipped at his coffee, the last of it left was just starting to turn cold.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie</em>
  </b>
  <span>, the symbiote's deep voice hummed low in his mind. He'd been quiet for most of the afternoon, and Eddie hadn't been paying much attention to what the symbiote was watching. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Now that he'd drawn attention to himself Eddie could feel the symbiote, stifling a strange sort of moodiness in the back of his mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What was he up to?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Mm?' Eddie hummed into his coffee cup, simultaneously hiding his talking to himself, and taking another gulp of the cooling liquid.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>What is human sex like?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie inhaled sharply, abruptly swallowing the mouth full of coffee down the wrong way. Choking and spluttering he shoved his laptop to the side, hurriedly placing the mug back down, and raising both hands above his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tried to catch his breath, tears leaking from his eyes, while he had the strangest sensation of the symbiote forcing him to breathe properly from the inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We did not mean to shock you.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Shock him? Shock him! Why was the symbiote asking about sex, now? Had he actually read Eddie’s thoughts this morning?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Taking a deep breath in (on his own this time) Eddie leant back in the chair, letting his hands rest on top of his head.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You can't just spring something like that on me, buddy!' he said hurriedly, trying to keep his voice quiet, though the only other people in the lounge were across the room, deep in conversation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Why not?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Because it's not usually the kind of thing you talk about in public,' and not the kind of conversation he'd expected to be having at four pm on a Thursday afternoon. Very much not the kind of conversation he’d wanted to have with Venom yet. Or at all, truth be told.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We want to see your memories of sex.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Whoa, no, I uh-' Eddie stammered out, certain he was going red in the face, if he wasn’t already from choking moments before. The symbiote hadn't asked to see any of his memories since that first disastrous night they'd move in. Of course he wanted to </span>
  <em>
    <span>now</span>
  </em>
  <span>, over </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'What uh, what made you ask this, anyway?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We were watching a program and they were discussing the mating and reproductive habits of the creature you call Lions,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote said easily. Then, </span>
  <b>
    <em>You are changing the subject.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Uh, yep, yeah I sure am! This is not something we can talk about here.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Why?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Because it is not an appropriate conversation to be having while I'm at work.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>What is inappropriate about sex?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Oh my god,' Eddie put his face in his hands. This was not happening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was really going to have to have the birds and the bees talk with his symbiote. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was only a matter of time, he supposed, though he'd kinda hoped he'd have a little longer to prepare. Could he get just a little more ignorant bliss before he had to address this? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>No, of course not. He couldn’t be so lucky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'I promise we will talk about this, when we get home.' </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He checked his watch. Fifteen minutes til he was done for the day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'How about you finish up whatever you're watching there, I'll finish up what I'm working on here, and we can head off, yeah?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Alright,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote agreed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just a little deflection. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could do this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could always just send Venom off to google, then answer any further questions he had. But that didn’t seem exactly fair. Eddie tried to remember how he'd first learnt about sex. His absentee father certainly never had The Talk with him, and a few awkward health classes at school combined with a lot of whispered rumors between teenage boys hadn't given him much knowledge when it came to this sort of thing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The least he could do way explain sex to the symbiote, hopefully a little better than it had been explained to him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could do this.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>~</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>By the time they got home he was convinced he couldn't do this. What if he just confused Venom? What if sex repulsed him? What if he got weird about Eddie’s past relationships? His nerves about the whole thing had practically doubled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote, on the other hand, was an innocent island of curiosity in the anxiety storm inside Eddie's mind. God, Venom had no idea what he was getting into.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are nervous.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'A bit, yeah. This isn't an easy topic to talk about,' Eddie slid his coat and shoes off, leaving them by the front door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Is sex a bad thing?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Great, he’d already given Venom the wrong idea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'No, no, sex is good. Sex is great, actually. But it's also sort of taboo.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Taboo?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Yeah. I guess... Society can be a little repressed about sex. Hundreds of years of religious oppression and guilt and- y'know what, that's a whole other conversation that we can have some other time,' he sighed, plonking down on the couch, ‘I should just start with the basics, huh?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He stared vacantly at the blank television screen for a moment, steeling himself, gathering his thoughts. This was always going to be weird, no matter when or how they did it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'So, the basic point of sex is about reproduction.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes, we understand this. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Right. So, a man and a woman will have sex to make a baby. You know the difference between men and women, yeah?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Your body is different to Anne’s.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, men and women have different genitals. For men it’s the penis and scrotum, for women it’s the vagina and uterus,’ he winced, running a hand over his face. He was a grown man, he really shouldn't feel so awkward explaining this. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A thought suddenly crossed his mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Wait, do symbiotes not have sex?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We do not.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Then how do you reproduce?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>When the time is right to carry on our line we can generate a seed, which will produce our offspring.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You reproduce asexually?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'That’s cool. And… strange,’ Eddie was reminded again just how alien Venom really was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘But uh, humans can't do that. To make a human baby a woman needs to get pregnant, so you get sperm from a male and eggs from a female, and when they combine it creates a fetus. That fetus then grows inside the woman for nine months, til it's ready to be born. Then it's born, you have a baby. Baby grows up into a child, then an adult. The miracle of life.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Hmm. Complex, but we understand.</em>
  </b>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Good,' Eddie nodded, 'Most species on earth reproduce like that. I think some plants and insects reproduce asexually? I'd have to look that up, though.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>So sex is a natural part of life?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>What about it makes you nervous?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And there was the exact question Eddie had been asking himself. Why </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> he nervous? He loved sex.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Well, like I said, it’s also kind of taboo,’ and where did he even begin with that?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘See sex can feel good. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Really</span>
  </em>
  <span> good. And a lot of humans do it just for pleasure, and not to reproduce. But for a lot of history it was frowned upon; it was only acceptable to do it if you were married, and even then just to reproduce. It was considered a sin- an uh... immoral act in the eyes of God,’ enough sunday school as a child had certainly drilled that fear into him, ‘But now the worlds pretty sexualised, and people will have sex for the wrong reasons or without consent. God, it’s complicated and... kinda hard to explain.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote was silent for a moment, but Eddie could feel him plainly swarming with questions in the forefront of his mind, curiosity absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>burning</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then he remembered what the symbiote had said back at the office: </span>
  <em>
    <span>'We want to see your memories of sex.'</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He swallowed. That would be one way to clear things up for the symbiote, he supposed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You wanna see, don't you...' Eddie asked slowly, hesitantly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We do.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were both silent again. Eddie felt the nerves creeping back, a buzzing in his limbs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We do not have to, if you are uncomfortable. You can just explain.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'That's the thing, I don't… I don’t know if I can explain,’ he fiddled with the zipper of his hoodie, ‘It’s all so complicated, and some stuff I was taught but some of it is just… stuff I know. Things you learn, living life.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We can know what you know, Eddie.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie lent his head against the back of the couch, closing his eyes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>
      <em>Zzzt, </em>
    </span>
  </em>
  <span>zzzt</span>
  <em>
    <span><em>, zzzt</em>,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he slid the zip up and down, fidgeting. He still didn’t like the idea of the symbiote digging through his head. If Venom looked at his memories of sex, he’d see all the people he’d slept with, his relationships and one night stands. All the things he’d done. He’d probably dredge up memories Eddie himself had forgotten.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But he also wasn’t sure if he could accurately answer all the symbiote’s questions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Will... will it hurt, if you look at my memories?' he could still remember last time and the migraine he’d gotten afterwards.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We can look without showing you. That will not be painful.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Umm…'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote’s curiosity was still there, a strong feeling, like a hot little flame inside him. And there was something else there, something eager, yearning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He took a deep breath, easing it out through pursed lips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Baby steps, right?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>How bad could it be?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Alright, you can see my memories.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Thank you</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>,</span>
  </em>
  <span> the symbiote said. A feeling flared briefly in his chest, something enthusiastic and awed, but it disappeared before he could properly acknowledge it. Come and gone so suddenly that Eddie was sure he'd imagined it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He waited for the symbiote to start.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We are done.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'That was it?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes</em>
  </b>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Oh. I- I thought I'd feel something.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We said it would not be painful.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Right. Yeah,' Eddie really wasn't sure what he'd expected. Some kind of sensation? Some indication the symbiote was in his mind? It was probably better that he didn’t know, couldn’t feel it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Did that clear anything up for you?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Some, yes. We see the complexity of how humans view sex. We think we understand. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I’m glad I could help.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You have a lot of joy and pleasure associated with these memories.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, sex is pretty fun.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You have never engaged in sex for reproduction, though? </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'No. Kids are... a big commitment. Anne and I... We never really talked about starting a family. That was something to think about in the future,’ a future he wouldn’t see now. He tried to ignore the forlorn feeling that gave him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We understand. We have not found the right time to reproduce either.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Something we have in common then.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Will you find another partner, like Anne?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'I... I haven't really thought about it. I guess it would be nice, but. I don't know. I got you now, buddy.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was a long pause before the symbiote spoke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We cannot produce a human child with you, Eddie,</em>
  </b>
  <span> Venom sounded grave, as though he were delivering bad news.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'No, no, I know that,’ Eddie laughed, amused at the symbiotes misunderstanding, ‘I just mean  having you around might make relationships more complicated.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Complicated?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, I mean, what we got isn’t exactly normal. Just the concept of aliens actually existing would freak most people out, let alone being in a relationship with one. Or, with a guy who is part alien…’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A wave of sadness hit him, washed from the symbiote’s own feelings.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Whoa, you okay, buddy?’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You cannot have a relationship, because of us. We have taken something away from you. </em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Hey, no, you haven’t. You’ve given me more, you’ve made me more. Relationships aren’t off the table, it’s just… Something we’ll have to think about. But later.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>Alright...</b>
  <span> the symbiote was quiet, and Eddie worried he’d said the wrong thing. Maybe they shouldn’t think about it, should forget the idea of ever being with someone else again. That would be fine… Maybe? Probably not but-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We still have questions.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right, questions. Hopefully he could answer them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Like what?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Men and women engage in sex for enjoyment?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, but it doesn't have to be a man and a woman. Two men can have sex with each other, if they want. Or two women. Sometimes people will have sex with more than one partner. It just depends what you’re attracted to, what turns you on.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>How do you know what you’re attracted to?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You can just tell. You might find a person physically attractive, aesthetically pleasing. Maybe they have a nice smile or they smell good. There’s chemistry between you, like a spark. How do you know when someone's good to bond with?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Not by their smile,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote said. Eddie laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It is an innate ability all symbiotes possess, we have a sense for compatible hosts.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, it’s kinda like that. Sometimes. Or it might be really superficial, like how pretty they are.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Hmm.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘That make sense?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We believe so. But we are confused by something you said.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What did I say?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>The phrase ‘turns you on’?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Oh, right. That means what gets you excited, sexually. What you enjoy about your partner, or the experience. Even just touch can be a turn on, especially to the uh, genitals,’ he really hoped it was his imagination that his cheeks suddenly felt a little redder, ‘You get excited enough, it builds up, you have an orgasm.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We saw this. The completion?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah. That’s… Well that’s the pleasurable bit. I mean there’s more to sex than just coming though. You can have an orgasm on your own, that’s called masturbation. It’s not quite the same as with someone else. With a partner it’s about being intimate, sharing the experience, bonding with them.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Hmm. Intimacy is important to you,</em>
  </b>
  <span> Venom observed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Do I?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes. Afterwards you often desired to stay close.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Are you saying I’m a cuddler?’ Eddie joked, though the symbiote didn’t get it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>What is amusing?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It’s not really funny, I just… had people tease me, about being cuddly. It’s not a bad thing, I but...’ he trailed off, aware of how awkward he sounded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are insecure.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I guess I am, yeah...’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Anne did not tease you.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No, she didn’t,’ Eddie smiled sadly, ‘She was a cuddler too.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Your sexual memories with her were-</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Pretty great?’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We would say loved.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Y-yeah…’ Eddie felt a pang, a lump in his throat and a sad stab in his chest. He didn’t feel like he was gonna cry, but his voice was a little raspy when he next spoke.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Let’s, ah, let’s not talk about Annie,’ he muttered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Okay</em>
  </b>
  <span>, the symbiote sounded meek, apologetic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were silent for a while, Eddie desperately trying to steer his thoughts away from his ex-fiance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie…</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Yeah Vee?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We have more questions.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Sure.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>How exactly does pregnancy work?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You mean like, what specifically happens?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Mmhmm.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Well…' Eddie realised he didn't actually know. That hadn't exactly been covered in his middle school health class.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Y'know, I don't a hundred percent know myself. We can look online though, if you're curious,' he grabbed his phone, pulling up a google homepage.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They spent most of the rest of the evening scrolling through articles and wikipedia links, diving through the complex rabbit hole of human sex and biology. They finally stopped when it got late enough to have dinner, and they ordered pizza. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All in all that hadn’t gone too badly, Eddie thought later, as he drifted off to sleep. The symbiote had been incredibly curious, and Eddie had felt pretty awkward and weird but- It probably couldn’t have gone much better.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This was hard to write, but it's my favourite kind of trope with these two so I had to give it a go.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter Six</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Eddie and Flash make breakfast plans. Venom and Eddie finally get intimate.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If sexual content is something you'd rather avoid skip from 'Us too, Eddie' to the tilde break</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>On their way home from work the next day, cruising on Eddie’s bike through the city streets, Eddie was musing. The conversation he and the symbiote had had last night was still playing on his mind. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom knew about sex now, and that was great. The discussion had been pretty general, avoiding the issue of Eddie’s own sexual needs, which he’d been glad about in the moment, but was regretting now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It would have been the perfect opportunity to transtion the conversation to masturbastion, but he just… Couldn’t. He still felt weird about it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote had seemed reasonably fine with all the information they'd come across while browsing the web about sex and the reproductive habits of humans. Even the more detailed elements of giving birth hadn't phased Venom; he'd simply seemed intrigued and interested. Eddie really shouldn’t worry about freaking the symbiote out about possibly, maybe masturbating. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Freaking himself out, though...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t even shower comfortably in front of the symbiote yet and he wanted to, what, suggest masturbating in front of him?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That would be weird, he couldn’t do that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He really shouldn’t be thinking about this. There was a bubble of anxiety building in his chest. A bubble the symbiote could surely feel.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As if on cue, Venom spoke up in Eddie's mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We have been thinking,</em>
  </b>
  <span> he said, as Eddie pulled into the parking garage. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Have you? What about?’ Eddie asked, parking and taking off his helmet. He really hoped the casual tone of his voice didn’t sound forced.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are lonely.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Am I?’ that was not what he’d been expecting the symbiote to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are still sad about Anne.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie’s heart sank, 'I'd prefer if we didn't talk about that, Vee.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>But you require companionship, do you not? We saw, in your memories, companionship is vital to your happiness.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Companionship is nice. What did you have in mind?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We should pursue a relationship.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this Eddie had to laugh. Sometimes the way the symbiote said things, so straight forward and blunt surprised him. He still wasn’t used to it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I told you buddy, you and I and dating is gonna be difficult.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Because we cannot be seen. Because we are alien.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘There is that, yes. Having you around makes things kinda complicated.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Are you saying we make your life complicated?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Very much so.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Straight away Eddie could feel the symbiote was bothered by what he’d said, an annoyed grumble sounded in his mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Hey, don’t be like that,’ Eddie said, making their way upstairs, ‘I’m sure I make your life complicated too.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Very much so, </em>
  </b>
  <span>the symbiote parroted, followed by a deep rumbling chuckle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie laughed too, ‘Exactly. We’re mutually complicated for each other. I know I’m trouble, and you’re definitely trouble. That’s why we work.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You said ‘dating’. What is this?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘A date is when you meet up with someone, to get to know them. Dating is when you’re seeing someone, going on dates regularly. You might go to a movie, or get a meal together. Something romantic and special, that you don’t normally do.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Ah</em>
  </b>
  <span>, the symbiote said knowingly, </span>
  <b>
    <em>A human courtship ritual.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie just shook his head, laughing, ‘Sure, Vee.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’d reached the second floor. Pulling out his keys Eddie swung them round his fingers once, then went to unlock their door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He heard a noise, and looking up saw Flash Thompson leaving his own apartment. Eddie gave a friendly smile to the man as he came down the hall towards them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You ride?’ Thompson asked, gesturing at the helmet tucked under Eddie’s left arm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah,’ Eddie said, looking down at the helmet, then back up at Thompson, 'Been riding most of my life.' </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Cool,’ Thompson grinned, ‘A buddy of mine taught me to ride in high school. I never got round to getting my own bike though.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I’d offer to let you ride mine but, uh…’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, that wouldn’t work so well,’ Thompson laughed, ‘I’d love to see your bike sometime, though.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It’s a Ducati Scrambler. I had the twenty-fifteen model, but I had to get it replaced. We- I uh, had a pretty bad crash.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Oh shit man, you were alright though?’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah I uh, didn’t have any lasting injuries, thankfully,’ Eddie rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. He didn't mention that particular crash broke both his legs, one of his arms, and dislocated the other shoulder. Or the miraculous instant recovery Venom hand provided.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You are welcome.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Bike was totalled though. The uh… other guys’ insurance paid for the replacement.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Whoa man, you came outta that one lucky.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You could say that, yeah,’ Eddie laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie finished unlocking the door, nudging it open with one hand, while Thompsons moved across the hall to call the elevator. He was about to say goodbye, but Thompson spoke first.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Hey, Brock, what are you doing this weekend?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Half in, half out his own front door, Eddie looked over his shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Not much, why?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d been considering taking the bike out for a proper ride Saturday. A chance to take the symbiote out of the city. Their last couple of Sundays had been exceptionally lazy and he didn’t anticipate this one to be any different. Maybe he’d figure out a way to jerk off without feeling like an idiot in front of the symbiote. Thompson didn’t need to know about that though.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'There's a football game, tonight. It’s just at the school where I teach, a couple of the kids in my class are on the team. Anyway, did you wanna come along?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Football game?</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote piped up. Eddie tried to keep his expression neutral. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Oh, I uh…' Eddie began awkwardly. Going to a high school football game on his Friday night didn’t seem all that appealing. Though he’d played sports back in high school, football had not been one of them. It just hadn’t been his scene.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Besides, Eddie couldn't see the symbiote being patient enough to sit through an entire game. He still couldn’t get Venom to sit through a regular movie, unless it was a documentary. And a football game would undoubtedly result in a lot of questions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Thompson, taking Eddie's hesitation for what it was (a no) quickly said, 'Hey, no pressure man. I just thought, maybe. But- nah, it's silly,' his tone was light, but Eddie caught the shift in his body language, shoulders tight, not looking at them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom noticed it too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Aw, you hurt his feelings.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Sorry, man. Maybe- maybe next time?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Sure thing.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The elevator pinged, it’s doors sliding open. Thompson wheeled himself inside.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then it dawned on Eddie just what Thompson had actually been asking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn't about the game at all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Breakfast!' Eddie blurted out. Thompson paused, looking over his shoulder at Eddie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Breakfast?' he questioned, brows furrowed in confusion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Breakfast?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The elevator doors started to slide closed. Eddie dashed forward, sticking one arm out to catch the closing doors. They thudded against his arm, before reversing open again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'I mean, how about Saturday morning? If you're free, we can get breakfast?' </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At Eddie's new suggestion Thompson smiled, genuine and warm it reached his clear blue eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Yeah. Yeah, okay, that'd be great.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote let out a cheerful chirp only Eddie could hear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He grinned back.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Hey, give me your phone,’ Thompson held out his hand.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'What?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'So you have my number.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Oh. Right,’ Eddie fished his phone out of his jeans pocket, opening a new contact and handing it over to Thompson. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I'll text you Saturday morning,’ the man said, typing his own number into Eddie’s phone, ‘There's a place a couple of blocks away, they do excellent bacon and eggs. You're not vegan, are you?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At this Eddie had to laugh. The thought of him, of </span>
  <em>
    <span>them</span>
  </em>
  <span>, being vegan? Venom wouldn't last half a day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>What is 'vegan'?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'No, no, we- I'm not vegan.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Good,' Thompson responded, still smiling, 'My god-daughter's just gone vegan, and let me tell you, finding anywhere she can eat ain’t easy. Here,' he handed Eddie back his phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Thanks,' Eddie said, pocketing it. Thompson grinned at him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'I better go, but I'll see you Saturday.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Saturday it is.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie stepped back, letting the elevator doors close properly this time.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Breakfast</em>
  </b>
  <span>, the symbiote said, as they turned back to the open door.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, so we can get to know him.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Is this a date?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'What? No! Why would it be a date?'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You said getting a meal with another person was a date.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'It can be but uh, not this time. This is just two possible friends, meeting up to have breakfast. Just bacon and eggs. And coffee. Nothing romantic.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Bacon and eggs are not romantic?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'No,' Eddie thought for a second 'Well, I guess they can be? Depends on the situation.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie placed the motorcycle helmet down on the kitchen bench, striding over to the fridge and inspecting its contents.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>The situation…</em>
  </b>
  <span>, it was the symbiotes turn to be confused.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'It's all about context,' he informed the symbiote, 'Who you're having breakfast with, when and where.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>While they talked Eddie busied himself by making a sandwich, putting the kettle on to boil.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Breakfast in bed, on an anniversary? Eggs and bacon, coffee, toast. That's romantic. And romance is sexy.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Romance is sexy…</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote said slowly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Yeah. But us and Thompson? Nothing romantic, it's just breakfast.' </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Just breakfast,</em>
  </b>
  <span> Venom repeated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Exactly.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were both silent for a little while. Eddie had a feeling the symbiote was processing their conversation. As they sat down in one of the kitchen stools Venom asked, </span>
  <b>
    <em>What is vegan?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'It's a kind of diet where you only eat plant based products. No meat, no dairy, that sort of thing.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>No meat?</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote seemed stunned, incredulous,</span>
  <b>
    <em> 'But meat is important!’</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Humans can survive without meat. And for some people it makes them sick, or they don't want to eat animals, they don't want to harm them. Some people just don't like the taste.'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We will not be vegan,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote stated sharply, like this was actually something Eddie had even considered. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie laughed, 'Of course not. I don't even know what you would eat if we didn’t eat meat.' </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He bit into their sandwich, 'And we wouldn't be able to eat chocolate.' </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>No chocolate!</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote cried.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Nope!'</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie continued their snack, thinking again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The fact of the matter was, he was horny. Ridiculously so. Had been for days! He really couldn’t keep that from the symbiote any longer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Their sex talk had been fine, he should just get this over with too. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That had been the first baby step.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Time for step two.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Y’know,’ Eddie said, swallowing his mouthful, ‘I’ve been thinking too.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>About companionship?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'No, not that. It's uh…' Eddie bit his lip, staring down at his plate, 'Y'know how we talked about sex last night?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Well I wanted to talk to you about masturbation,’ Eddie said slowly, feeling self concious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>You mentioned this. Sex but by oneself?</b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘In basic terms, I guess, yeah…’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We saw that in your memories. You have not done it since we bonded.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course he'd point that out. But dammit if the symbiote wasn’t observant. Now he felt even more self conscious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'It's been a while, yeah…' Weeks, in fact. Probably close to a month now. Way too long. No wonder he felt so pent up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Well the human body has certain… needs and urges. And sometimes you just... need to have an orgasm.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We would like you to try this.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You.. you would?’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes. Your memories of it were very positive.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie had an odd swooping sensation in his stomach. A nervous combination of excitement and dread, rolled into one. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You feel oddly about this.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Y-yeah. I… It’s a little weird, that’s all.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Though privately Eddie thought ‘a little weird’ was an understatement. This was next level weird. Were they really talking about masturbating so his alien symbiote could watch? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was the direction his life was going, huh...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Masturbation is weird?</em>
  </b>
  <span> Venom prodded, gently. Eddie got the feeling it could sense his trepidation, even if right now all he could feel from the symbiote was mild confusion. Or was that his own confusion?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘No, but,’ Eddie swallowed, ‘If I were to try to with you watching, that would be.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>How can we not watch you, Eddie?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I dunno man, I just…’ Eddie trailed off, not sure what to even say. He felt like a fool. Why the hell had he suggested this? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>From what you have said reproduction and sex are important aspects of mammalian life. And humans do this for pleasure. Were you not going to seek out this pleasure ever again?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I don’t know! Maybe not? I’ve just been trying not to think about it!’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Why?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Because it’s weird!’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>What exactly is weird, Eddie?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie thought a better question would be what wasn’t weird. Everything about being bonded to an alien symbiote was weird. The intense hunger, hearing a literal voice in his head, never being truly alone, hell, being able to feel the damn thing's feelings. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And yet...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were finding ways to deal with the hunger, weren’t they. Hearing a voice he was still on the fence about, but a lot of the time that voice was smart and funny and kept him on his toes. Not being alone was actually pretty welcome. The months between his and Anne's break up had been very lonely. That wasn't an issue he'd ever have to worry about again, was it. And feeling another living being’s feelings, as if they were his own, was extremely intimate. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It occurred to Eddie that he’d been avoiding thinking about any sort of intimacy with the symbiote.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But what was more intimate than literally sharing a body, caring for each other, keeping each other alive.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Symbiosis.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe they could find other ways of being intimate.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe it didn’t have to be weird. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe it could be </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie? </em>
  </b>
  <span>the symbiote said, softly, pulling him out of his thoughts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Sorry, yeah,’ Eddie finished off the last of their sandwich, getting up to place the now empty plate beside the sink. He made his way into the bedroom, thinking over what he wanted to say next.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What’s weird is…' Eddie sat down heavily on the end of the bed, running his hands over his jeans. They felt rather hot right now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'This is still really new. And our… relationship is- it’s not exactly normal. And I guess I’m just… a little freaked out by that,’ he finished, slowly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote was quiet for a moment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Do you desire normal?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Y’know, I don’t exactly know. I guess not, seeing as I’ve willingly bonded with you.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>If it helps, this bond we have is not normal by Klyntar standards, either.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It... it isn’t?’ that surprised Eddie. What was normal for a symbiote?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It is not. The sort of bond we share, the deep and intimate connection, is considered shameful by most of my species.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Oh,’ Eddie whispered. Venom’s admission made him feel hollow, and sad. He felt like something heavy was stuck in his chest, ‘Does that bother you?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It used too,</em>
  </b>
  <span> Venom spoke, pensively, </span>
  <b>
    <em>Until we met you.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I… wow, Vee…’ Eddie was suddenly speechless, and that heavy hollow feeling burst in his chest. A small bright flame of fireworks. He had goosebumps.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It is okay, Eddie. We no longer fear the judgement of others, you should not either. You are perfect for us, and we wish to participate in all human experiences with you. Including sex.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>God dammit, this conversation was putting Eddie through an emotional ringer. Uncomfortable, embarrassed, a little bit of shame. And now this warm emotion, fondness and affection for the symbiote. And he knew Venom could feel all of it. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I uh, guess I haven’t really thought of you like that. In a uh- sexy way,’ he ran a hand over his face, embarrassed again, ‘Actually I’ve been intentionally not thinking about you like that.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We are not sexy?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It’s not that, it’s just-’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They were both being so painfully honest right now, in a way Eddie was entirely unused to. He bit his lip, frowning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fuck it. They were half-way there, there really wasn’t any reason to stop being honest now, ‘I’m worried about what it means of me if I do find you attractive.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We find you attractive.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie was hit with surprise again. He opened his eyes abruptly, staring at the ceiling.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You do?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote said, so plainly, as though Eddie should already know this, </span>
  <b>
    <em>We knew as soon as we saw you that you would be a compatible host. Of course we desired that.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom wanted him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And that was… Not unwelcome. In fact it felt pretty great. Like so much else about being bonded to the alien, it seemed. A shiver ran up Eddie’s spine.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>This excites you.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie froze, holding his breath. His heart was pounding, a nervous feeling spreading through his limbs. Was there any point in denying it, when the symbiote could feel everything? Eddie already knew he couldn’t lie to him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Plus, he’d promised he wouldn’t.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He let out a slow, shaking breath.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Y-yeah, I guess it does.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Us too, Eddie.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right. Okay. He could do this. He just had to let himself open up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Follow that excitement, chase the feeling of the symbiotes own anticipation, like a light in his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie moved to sit back in the middle of the bed, pulling off his shirt as he went. He took a deep breath, before undressing further. This was a new experience. This was a good thing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shimmied off his pants and boxers, flinging them off the end of the bed. His cock now free he took it in hand, stroking slowly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote’s sudden silence was not helping. It was awkward, actually, knowing it was just back there, watching him, like a voyeur.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Huh. Voyeurism… Now that wasn’t a bad thing. He’d certainly touched himself with someone else watching before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He just had to think about this differently; it wasn't an alien entity watching him, it was like his girlfriend- no, a partner. His partner, watching him jerk off. That could be sexy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Alright. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>First time for everything.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He picked up the pace, grip a little firmer now, settling into a rhythm. Closing his eyes, Eddie focused on the sensations in his now hard cock. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He let out a quiet, soft moan. </span>
  <em>
    <span>God</span>
  </em>
  <span> that felt </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It'd been so long since he'd done this. How long had he had the symbiote now, three weeks? Longer? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He already knew this was just going to be quick and dirty.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie kept stroking, fisting firm strokes up and down his cock, feeling the pleasure building, growing hot. God he needed this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was an unexpected tingling sensation spreading across the inside of Eddie’s legs. He opened his eyes, looking down at his lower half.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote had formed outside of his skin. Venom’s inky blackness rippled along his inner thighs and up towards his hips. He stroked his length, watching as few of the symbiote’s tendrils separated from the rest of his mass, stretching up and out to almost, but not quite, touch Eddie’s dick.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie let out a little grunt. Seeing the symbiote was much better than having it hiding in the back of his brain. He should probably include his alien in this.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He reached down, running his free hand over the smooth expanse of the symbiote at his hip, digging his fingertips into its pliable flesh.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>At his touch the symbiote made a noise Eddie had never heard before. An indecent alien kind of keen, practically a moan, and feelings of pleasure cascaded across their bond, reflecting and rebounding back at Eddie. More of the symbiote’s form emerged, rising up to entwine with Eddie’s fingers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Venom was very, very warm. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie found himself wondering what that soft, gooey warmth would feel like on his cock.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'You can touch me if you want,' he blurted out, breathless already.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We are touching,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote slurred, with a slight note of confusion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'My- my dick, I mean.' </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Slowly more of the symbiotes tendrils oozed out of the dark expanse covering his thighs; two, three, four appendages sprung forth. Eagerly, yet almost tenderly the first tendril brushed the head of his cock making Eddie gasp. The rest then formed a sort of hand-like shape, wrapping solidly around his cock, and slowly it began stroking, imitating Eddie’s own movements.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie let his eyes slide shut again, moaning. He was intrigued to notice the symbiotes touch on his cock felt significantly different to his own. Its gooey surface was soft and slick, warm and pliable and it made his own hand feel rough in comparison. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Precum was dripping from the head of his cock now, and he swiped at it with his thumb, rubbing in circles. He hadn't even noticed his hips starting to rock in sync with their stroking.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They kept going like this, falling into a rhythm, the symbiote undulating, moving like it already knew exactly what to do. Eddie bit his lip, moaning, pleasure thrilling through them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>More. He wanted </span>
  <em>
    <span>more.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He groaned again as the symbiote squeezed, black tendrils growing, encasing all of Eddie’s own hand now too. His hips rocked faster, their combined stroking and squeezing feeling so incredibly </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He was getting close, he could feel it, pleasure built low and tight in his gut. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He opened his eyes again, looking down. Venom had completely covered both his thighs now, tendrils of his blackness oozing up over Eddie’s hips and across the lower part of his stomach. He ran a hand through it again, kneading and stroking the symbiote with his thumb and fingertips.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie…</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote moaned, deep guttural voice sounding absolutely obscene.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Oh fuck, oh yeah, yeah, yeah,' just a little more, just like that, just-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie couldn’t contain the wild shout he made as he climaxed. Whole body ridged for a moment, dick twitching in their grasp as come spurted out over his stomach. Then he flopped back down, letting out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They lay there for a few long moments, Eddie breathing deeply, feeling his heart rate return to normal, his whole body loose and relaxed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And it seemed Venom was equally as relaxed, now a puddle across Eddie’s thighs and stomach. Internally he could still feel the pleasure the symbiote was feeling, that high of post-orgasm relaxation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Hey…' Eddie said softly, stroking his hand gently over the symbiote again. Venom rippled, shivering at his touch, and the sensations reverberated, giving Eddie himself goosebumps.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was… Whoa. He was already very aware of feeling the symbiote’s moods and emotions, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>touch.</span>
  </em>
  <span> This was different and completely new. He didn’t realise they could also share external sensations like that, too.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote managed to slur, his voice in Eddie’s head sounding dazed and dreamy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Was that good for you, too, buddy?' Eddie smiled, still petting the symbiote. It wasn't often he got to see Venom outside his body like this. Blue-black and shadowy, yet parts of him pale where the bedroom light reflected off the symbiotes form. It was kinda nice, being able to touch and see him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie...</em>
  </b>
  <span> the symbiote repeated, sending out another warm wave of pleased happiness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'I'll take that as a yes,' Eddie chuckled quietly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That had been great. He felt a little foolish, thinking he needed to hide this from the symbiote. They were both so relaxed and at ease now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Of course this is what they'd both needed.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>That was, quite possibly, the best sleep Eddie had had in weeks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Just before dozing off he'd managed to get up and briefly get clean. The symbiote was a mess, a gooey ooze too chilled out to even retreat back inside Eddie. As he had stood up the symbiote had slid down his legs, sticking to his arms in stringy webs when Eddie attempted to scoop him  up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>One quick trip to the bathroom later, the symbiote still wrapped up in Eddie’s arms, they had flopped back into bed, passing out within moments of his head hitting the pillow.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Laying in bed now, eyes still closed but half awake, he could feel the blissed out warmth of the symbiote, back under his skin and curled somewhere that felt like the back of his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he'd known rubbing one out would be this effective at getting his alien to relax he would have tried it sooner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Or he at least wouldn’t have felt so damn conflicted about it...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, probably not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he was being honest with himself he still felt strangely about it. Just a little.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eddie opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling. He really had to shake that off train of thought now. Venom had said he’d wanted him, and it had felt so good. For </span>
  <em>
    <span>both </span>
  </em>
  <span>of them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There was nothing wrong with that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By denying himself things, he was also denying the symbiote, wasn’t he? And that wasn’t fair at all. He couldn’t make decisions on his own anymore.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He resolved that next time something like this came up he’d to talk to Venom, instead of running himself in mental circles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rolling over Eddie reached out to the night stand, grabbing blindly for his phone. Squinting at the dimly lit screen, the display informing him it was eleven pm. The little red battery in the corner feebly flashing at 11%.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Eddie,</em>
  </b>
  <span> the voice of his symbiote spoke, soft and quiet in his mind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Hey buddy,’ Eddie greeted him, yawning a little and rubbing his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We slept, Eddie.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘You did?’ that was a surprise. He’d been under the impression Venom couldn’t sleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Mmhmm</em>
  </b>
  <span>.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘How was it?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Deep.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Deep?’ Eddie questioned, ‘That’s an interesting way to describe sleeping.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The symbiote hummed again, pondering something.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Your body has natural rhythms. Heartbeat, blood flow, breath. Even your neural activity. We always feel these, but more so when you are sleeping.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A growing feeling of happiness and warmth from the symbiote washed over Eddie. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>When we slept we felt more connected, more entwined, more a part of these rhythms.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Sounds comforting.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It was. We did not realise this was an option.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Me either,’ they were still learning so much about each other. Eddie scratched his chest, pulling the bed sheet up a little. He wished, not for the first time, that the symbiote was physically there and he could see his alien.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>So that was an orgasm.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yes, Vee, that was an orgasm,’ Eddie chuckled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>It was much more than we anticipated.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What do you mean?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Your memories did not retain the exact feeling. You were having fun, enjoying yourself during sex. But the reality…</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘It feels pretty great, doesn’t it.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>The activity in your brain, the chemicals produced.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Oh yeah, the body releases a lot of hormones during sex. Dopamine, serotonin… There's another one too, but I can't remember what it's called,' did it start with an O? Or a P?</span>
</p>
<p><b><em>We understand now, the desire to seek sex just for pleasure.</em></b> <b><em>And your frustration is gone.</em></b></p>
<p>
  <span>‘My frustration? What frustration?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You had… an urge. You were tense. We did not know what it was, but you felt it often. It made us frustrated.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>'Oh, you mean feeling horny?' Eddie said surprised. He really shouldn’t be, of course the symbiote had picked up on that. Like everything else.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>We were concerned. Your dreams, and you were stressed but… We understand, now, it was a desire for sex.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘Yeah, I… I’m sorry about that.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Why do you apologise?</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I put this off. I didn’t even want to talk to you about this. My fear and my own hang-ups. I should have just said what was on my mind.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Yes. You do not need to be afraid of us, Eddie.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I’m not afraid of you.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>You worry far too much.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘I would say I worry just the right amount.’ </span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>Mmm,</em>
  </b>
  <span> Venom hummed, that warm happy feeling emanating from the alien again, </span>
  <b>
    <em>Of all the beings in the universe that I have bonded with in my lifetime, you are the most complex, Eddie Brock.</em>
  </b>
</p>
<p>
  <span>‘What can I say, I’m one of a kind.’</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>You can find me on tumblr @x-jean</p></blockquote></div></div>
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